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This article is part of Football FanCast’s Opinion series, which provides analysis, insight and opinion on any issue within the beautiful game, from Paul Pogba’s haircuts to League Two relegation battles…

Liverpool’s start to the season could barely have gone better.

The Reds have won 11 of their first 12 games in the Premier League, and they lead the table by eight points from Leicester City and Chelsea. They are also a further point ahead of champions Manchester City. Not only that, they also top their Champions League group and have progressed to the semi-finals of the League Cup as well.

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That success has come in, in part, at their 53,394 seater-stadium, Anfield. It is one of England’s historic grounds, but it is still just the sixth-largest in the country in terms of capacity, behind Old Trafford, the London Stadium, the Emirates Stadium, the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and the Etihad Stadium. As such, there are plans to increase it to 60,000, with several consultation meetings to be held with fans and local residents.

Increasing the capacity of the stadium makes sense, especially if the Reds want to consolidate their position at the top of the tree. However, they must be careful not to lose their world-famous atmosphere – Pep Guardiola has even said Anfield has something that you will find in no other stadium in the world.

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Whilst they have moved into new stadiums, Arsenal and West Ham have felt the effect of more seats in their grounds, with many complaining about the lack of atmosphere despite there being far more voices.

Stadiums like the Camp Nou and the Santiago Bernabeu hold over 80,000 seats, yet there are still complaints that they are lacking – from those involved at the club, as well.

Liverpool, of course, are a huge team. But so are those two Spanish outfits. At the end of the day, more seats doesn’t make for a better atmosphere. In those kinds of situations, the sound and noise level can often get diluted. Fans around the world want to get a glimpse of the best sides in action. Whilst that is understandable, there is a possibility it could have a dent on those famous European nights.

When a rival like Guardiola says Anfield is good, then it must be. Liverpool must be careful what they wish for.

Tottenham Hotspur kicked off their Europa League campaign with a home tie against Qarabağ FK last night, and while it ended up as a relatively comfortable win, it could have been entirely different.

In just the seventh minute, the North Londoners were reduced to ten men as Radu Dragusin, who came into the lineup for Cristian Romero, was shown a straight red for bringing down Juninho Vieira as the last man.

At that moment, it felt like it might be a very long night for Ange Postecoglou’s side, but in the usual fashion under the Australian, the Lilywhites maintained their high line and ultra-attacking style and eventually ran out comfortable winners.

There were several stand-out performers on the night, but along with one of his teammates, Brennan Johnson stood up and put in a display that saved the Romanian from what would have been an avalanche of criticism had the game ended in a defeat.

Johnson's performance vs Qarabağ

After a tough start to the campaign that saw pressure rapidly mount on his shoulders, Johnson has looked to have found some real form lately, and last night was no different.

It took just five minutes for the Welshman to score Spurs’ opener after going down to ten men, and while it might have looked like a relatively straightforward finish, it really wasn’t, with Sofascore considering it worth a total of 0.11 expected goals.

The former Nottingham Forest ace didn’t do much else in his 45 minutes of action, but as the Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote after awarding him a 7/10, his impressive form is ‘starting to justify Postecoglou’s faith’.

Overall, while he was only on the pitch for the first half, Johnson helped to stabilise the team, reassert their control over proceedings and, like one of the other stars on the night, ensured Dragusin wouldn’t be blamed for an embarrassing defeat.

Guglielmo Vicario's game vs Qarabag

Yes, Guglielmo Vicario is the other starter who deserves just as much, if not more, praise than Johnson.

The Italian shot-stopper was probably expecting a relatively quiet game before Dragusin was sent off, but even with his teammates’ three goals, he had an awful lot to do.

Luckily, unlike his opposite number, the 27-year-old was in top form. In addition to coming out when needed to smother opportunities, he also made some brilliant reaction saves, and thanks to what might have been the worst penalty of the season so far, he ended the game with a clean sheet.

Unsurprisingly, Kilpatrick was even more impressed with the former Empoli ace, giving him a 9/10 on the night and writing that he ‘Made a string of outstanding saves’ throughout the night, which is an opinion backed up by his statistics.

For example, in his 93 minutes of action, he made five saves, two of which were in the box, prevented 0.56 goals, was successful in his one run out, made one high claim, took 58 touches, maintained a passing accuracy of 89%, made two clearances, one tackle and one interception, and won 100% of his duels.

Minutes

93

Goals Prevented

0.56

Saves (Inside the Box)

5 (2)

Run Outs (Successful)

1 (1)

HIgh Claims

1

Touches

58

Passing Accuracy

33/37 (89%)

Clearances

2

Tackles

1

Interceptions

1

Duels (Won)

3 (3)

Overall, Spurs managed to turn what could have been a disastrous night into an impressive win. While there were plenty of standout performers, Johnson and Vicario were potentially a step above the rest, and Dragusin should be thanking them for the next week or so.

Ange must finally axe Spurs star who earns more than Udogie & Van de Ven

The experienced ace should be moved on in January.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 25, 2024

A number of clubs are believed to be interested in completing the signing of a “smashing” 21-year-old Sheffield Wednesday gem on loan as soon as possible, according to a new report.

Sheffield Wednesday struggling for form

The Owls have found life tough so far this season in the Championship, suffering a sobering run of form after thrashing Plymouth Argyle 4-0 on the opening weekend of the campaign, when there was huge positivity in the air.

Since that enjoyable afternoon at Hillsborough last month, Wednesday have only picked up one point from their last four league matches, with last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at home to Queens Park Rangers hugely frustrating for one key reason.

Just when it looked as though Danny Rohl’s side had picked up a precious victory in the Championship, thanks to Barry Bannan’s stoppage-time strike, the visitors equalised seconds from the end, following an almost comical goalmouth scramble inside the Owls’ penalty area that eventual saw the ball fired into the net.

The draw means that Wednesday are currently 20th in the Championship table, which given some of the positivity that existed surrounding Rohl back in the summer and after the Plymouth game, is a disappointing position to be in.

Sheffield Wednesday gem wanted on loan

According to a fresh claim from The Sheffield Star, Sheffield Wednesday youngster Sam Reed is wanted by a host of National League clubs, with players able to move to the division straight away, which isn’t the case with Premier League and EFL clubs.

The report states that a loan move could appeal to the Owls, in order to “aid his development elsewhere”, rather than struggling for playing time at senior level at Hillsborough, and he is a player who Rohl is a fan of after including him in first team training.

A loan switch for Reed does seem to make plenty of sense for Wednesday, in terms of allowing him more regular playing time, instead of featuring for the Owls at youth team level.

At 21, the left-back isn’t a kid anymore, and needs to kick on in his career, but he is a big talent, with Neil Thompson lauding him in the recent past, saying: “He’s done really well. He’s got a great attitude, and he’s a local lad. He’s been playing for a team in Leeds and he’s been smashing. He’s a great kid to have about, left-footer, and does what it says on the tin. I thought he was really steady today.”

Reed has only made one senior appearance for the Owls to date, coming in the FA Cup away to Coventry City last season, which highlights what a lack of experience he has so far.

Talks held: Sheffield Wednesday and Rohl hold discussions with free agents

Talks are believed to have been held.

ByHenry Jackson Sep 13, 2024

Granted, moving to a National League club for the rest of the 2024/25 season wouldn’t necessarily be giving him the same level of experience as he would at a League One or League Two side, but he could still mature in a physical sense and thrive by being a regular, before returning to Wednesday next summer as a more rounded footballer.

Journalist Graeme Bailey has claimed that one Leeds United player is on "Premier League wages" and being paid "far too much money" at Elland Road.

Leeds prepare for Burnley after unbeaten Championship start

Despite losing a host of key players over the summer transfer window, with Leeds also failing in a late bid to sign Croatia international Martin Baturina, manager Daniel Farke has still led his team through an unbeaten start to the 2024/2025 Championship campaign.

Leeds want £15m Premier League ace with serious offers already made

The Whites are very keen.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Sep 7, 2024

While they were knocked out of the EFL Cup early doors, thanks to a 3-0 defeat at home to Middlesbrough, Leeds are still yet to lose in the league – winning two and drawing two of their opening four encounters.

A 3-3 draw against Portsmouth on the opening weekend was followed up by a stalemate at West Brom, but Leeds have won their last two matches against Sheffield Wednesday and Hull City 2-0. Amidst the international break, Farke is now preparing his side to face off against Burnley, who were relegated from the Premier League last season and lost their former manager Vincent Kompany to Bayern Munich.

Speaking to the press after their victory over Hull, Farke hailed his "exciting" group of Leeds players but insisted his team are "far away" from being promotion favourites.

"It's not like we have individual quality like last season when the opponent is sitting deep and we had the magic of Cree Summerville or Georginio Rutter who in one situation can cut an opponent into pieces," said Farke.

"We still have work to do so perhaps it's fair to say after so many key players left us, after so many players who were in the league dominating in their position it's fair to say we don't perhaps have the brand any more to be the big favourites in this league because we brought interesting players in but players who are not completely proven and mature at this level and for this it's also too early to praise them.

Match

Date

Burnley (home)

September 14

Cardiff City (away)

September 21

Coventry City (home)

September 28

Norwich City (away)

October 1

Sunderland (away)

October 4

"They have to deliver in the mid to long-term at this level. But we have an exciting group. Right now it's up to me to work with them to get the best out of this group. We are far away from being a big favourite."

Many players have already played their part well, like Mateo Joseph, Ethan Ampadu, Pascal Struijk and Brenden Aaronson to name a few, but one member of the squad yet to really contribute is striker Joe Gelhardt.

Joe Gelhardt on "too much money" at Leeds United

The 22-year-old, valued at around £3 million by Transfermarkt, has played just one minute in the Championship so far, and started their dismal defeat to Boro in the EFL Cup, with a few critics surprised he didn't seal a move away in the summer – pundit Carlton Palmer being one of them.

Speaking to Leeds United News, reporter Bailey also claimed that Gelhardt is on "far too much money" and "Premier League wages at Leeds when explaining why a summer exit failed to materialise.

“I think so, but he [Gelhardt] is on huge money at Leeds," said Bailey.

"That is the reason he is still at Leeds, he’s being paid far too much money. He got Premier League wages. He might play apart but I don’t envisage it that much between now and January. Not that you wish ill on anyone, but you’d hope he isn’t needed between now and January.”

West Ham United will 'test the water' to see if they can land Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha this window as David Moyes looks to replace Declan Rice, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Joao Palhinha?

According to The Daily Mail, Fulham have slapped an incredible £90 million price tag on Palhinha this summer as they look to ward off interest from suitors in the £50k-a-week ace.

West Ham United are believed to be one side that are keen on the Portugal international; however, Fulham are said to have benchmarked their demands against the Hammers' £100 million asking price for club captain Rice.

Football Insider have claimed that Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Bayern Munich have all monitored Palhinha following his impressive debut campaign in English football, though they are looking towards alternative targets.

The Sun via TEAMtalk indicate that Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is an admirer of Palhinha and has urged Spurs' chiefs to make a move to acquire the former Sporting Lisbon man.

Palhinha was an influential figure for Fulham during last term and was the most frequent tackler in the Premier League, winning 147 challenges in total.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that West Ham United will try to test Fulham's resolve to see whether a swoop to try and land Palhinha is attainable.

Jones told FFC: "They'll go and test the water for Palhinha as well, I fully expect them to go and do that, but Fulham, if they do that, will give West Ham a taste of their own medicine. West Ham have just held out for £105 million for Declan Rice and Fulham are not going to cave in on Palhinha's valuation and that's why there's little leaks that they'll look to for £90 million and it was just to know to West Ham that you've lost your best player, we're not about to lose ours."

Would Joao Palhinha be a good addition for West Ham United this summer?

In light of West Ham captain Rice closing in on a move to Arsenal, the Irons will need a suitable replacement and bringing in Palhinha would be an exciting addition at the London Stadium.

Last term, the 27-year-old made 40 appearances in all competitions for Fulham, registering four goals in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

WhoScored show how monstrous Palhinha was in the tackle during 2022/23, winning an average of 4.2 challenges per match in the Premier League.

Intriguingly, the Portugal international also excelled aerially in comparison to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions, coming out on top in around 2.06 duels per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the eighth percentile for this metric, as per FBRef.

Consistent displays on the field for Fulham throughout the season earned Palhinha a SofaScore average match rating of 7/10 in the English top flight, signifying that he could be the man to fill Rice's large boots at the club in the engine room if the Hammers were to land Palhinha this summer.

Everton are unlikely to sell their young defender Jarrad Branthwaite in the summer, claims journalist Paul Brown.

Another year of fighting relegation and the departure of several high-profile players mean selling the £15m-rated man "wouldn't make a lot of sense."

Everton transfer news – What's the latest on Jarrad Branthwaite?

A productive loan spell with Dutch giants PSV Eindhoven has led to increased interest in Everton's promising centre-half, but following the departure of Yerry Mina and the decision not to renew Conor Coady's loan deal, a sale by the club looks unlikely.

That hasn't stopped clubs from trying to prise the player away from Goodison Park, however, as PSV first offered £15m for the player in the January transfer window, an offer that the club swiftly turned down.

West Ham United are also keen on the player, with Football Insider reporting that the east London club have 'launched an enquiry' for the player as they look to bolster their squad for their upcoming Europa League campaign.

The Daily Mail have also reported that Jose Mourhinho's Roma are interested in the 6 foot 5 star as they could be set to lose Roger Ibanez in the summer.

What has Paul Brown said about Jarrad Branthwaite and Everton?

Brown explained that a mix of the player's quality and Everton's precarious financial situation make a sale of Branthwaite unlikely.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "It wouldn't make a lot of sense really for Everton to let him go in the situation that they're in. I think it would be difficult to let too many players in the squad go that they might need to use next season because it's going to be a difficult window for them with very little money to replace.

"I don't think Branthwaite is someone who is likely to leave the club personally."

How good was Jarrad Branthwaite for PSV Eindhoven last season?

Perhaps the clearest sign that his spell in the Netherlands was a big success is the fact that the Dutch runners-up were keen to make the move permanent only halfway through the loan.

According to WhoScored, the England youth international achieved an average rating of 6.8 across his 27 matches last season, scoring two goals and assisting one more.

His performances seemed to impress journalist Marco Timmer, who said:

"Physically, he's really impressive. He's two-footed, quick, is good in the air and defends well."

He expects big things for the player, adding:

"You could see his potential."

Former Everton U23 coach David Unsworth certainly seemed to think so when he hailed the Carlise-born gem as "outstanding" following a particularly impressive performance for the junior side.

His underlying stats were equally impressive. According to FBref, he averaged a pass completion rate of 86.9% last season, with 3.62 of those being progressive passes.

On the defensive side of things, he made 1.04 tackles, 1.64 interceptions, and 4.34 clearances, all per 90.

If Everton are to avoid being drawn into a third successive relegation battle next year, it could be thanks to the promising Branthwaite.

Burnley continue to be linked with a striker ahead of their first season back in the Premier League, with some faces more familiar than others.

El Bilal Toure is a name that is exciting Burnley fans after starring for Almeria last season, while Coventry City's Viktor Gyokeres – who has lit up the Championship – needs no introducing.

There is potentially another option on Vincent Kompany's radar, as the Daily Mail reports that Metz striker Georges Mikautadze is being considered.

Who is Georges Mikautadze?

Mikautadze may not be a "name" as such, but he is one of the rising stars of European football after scoring 23 goals in Ligue 2 last season to finish as top scorer.

The 22-year-old joins Olivier Giroud in finishing top of the scoring charts in the French second tier, the latter doing so in 2009-10 with Tours when aged two years older than Mikautadze.

Giroud would immediately go on to join Montpellier, where he continued his good form to fire the club to an unlikely title success, before enjoying triumphant spells with Arsenal, Chelsea and current club Milan.

It may well be that Mikautadze is on his own path to the very top, and those who have watched the Georgia international close up certainly seem to think so.

Football author Mohamed Mohamed has described Mikautadze as having a "unique skill set" and the "potential to become the next Ligue 2 starlet who performs well in a big five league."

Burnley may well prove to be a good stepping stone for the Lyon-born attacker, especially as Clarets boss Kompany has previously made his interest in the player known.

While the manager said last summer that Mikautadze was "probably out of our range", that is not likely to be the case this window following promotion to the Premier League.

With a goal return of 0.68 per 90 minutes last season, as per FBref, Mikautadze undoubtedly has the pedigree to make an impact for Burnley. To put that figure in some context, Nathan Tella – Burnley's top scorer last season – scored at a rate of 0.61 goals per 90 minutes.

Mikautadze is not letting the hype get to him, either, as he showed on Saturday when scoring a crucial goal for Georgia in their 2-1 Euro 2020 qualifying win in Cyprus.

With Tella back at parent club Southampton, and Ashley Barnes leaving to join Norwich City, Mikautadze can be an ideal upgrade on both. Indeed, Mikautadze also outperformed Tella last season in terms of assists (0.24 v 0.18) and shots on target per 90 minutes (3.06 v 2.60).

Potentially available for £8m this summer, according to Football Observatory, moving for Mikautadze seems a no-brainer for the Clarets if they are looking for a rising star ready to make his mark in a major league.

Pep Guardiola is reportedly expected to leave Manchester City in two years when his current contract expires.

When will Pep Guardiola leave Man City?

On Saturday night, the Cityzens' remarkable season came to an end as they won the Champions League against Inter Milan.

In the end, a single second-half goal from Rodri was enough to seal the trophy – albeit with a little help from Romelu Lukaku – meaning City end the campaign as treble winners.

Indeed, after lifting the Premier League and the FA Cup, their first UCL title win means they've matched the achievements of 1990s treble-winning rivals Manchester United.

Guardiola will no doubt be on a high from it all and having achieved so much in England now, some may be wondering if he is already planning the next step of his career.

Well, according to a report in The Guardian, he won't be leaving in the immediate future but has "all but decided" to depart in summer 2025 and end his tenure after nine years.

How long is Guardiola's current contract?

The former Barcelona boss only signed a new deal in November, which added another year onto his terms and contains the option for a further 12 months.

As per the aforementioned article in The Guardian, the decision to renew last year was "in the balance" for some time and many of his "inner circle" weren't sure it would happen.

The report also notes that – having now worked and won league titles in Spain, Germany and England – Guardiola's plan was to coach a club in Italy. However, it is claimed that Guardiola has changed his thinking and could be open to taking charge of an international team.

The Spaniard certainly couldn't hide his emotions after the full-time whistle in Istanbul on the weekend, telling Sky Sports: "This trophy is so difficult to win."

He continued: "This competition is a coin [toss]. But we were there. I think it was written in the stars this season that it belonged to us and we did it."

However, he's already alluded about sticking around for next season, adding: "I don't want us to disappear after one Champions League.

"We have to work harder. There are teams that win the Champions League that disappear – we have to avoid that. Knowing me, that won't happen. It's a big relief for the club, for the institution to win this trophy. Finally, people won't ask me if I'm going to win the Champions League or not."

Incidentally, Mikel Arteta has been touted as a possible replacement having obviously worked as an assistant coach at Man City before joining Arsenal. What's more, his current deal ends in 2025 too and so he could be available when Pep leaves

When Tottenham Hotspur reached the Champions League final in 2019, it was supposed to be a watershed moment for the ambitious London outfit.

Mauricio Pochettino had crafted one of the most eye-catching and fluid teams in the Premier League and, despite the loss on that fateful day by the hand of Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, the rich pool of talent tantalised green pastures over yonder.

Instead, the dismissal of Antonio Conte this year was the fourth permanent manager discarded in as many years, and the failure to qualify for European football this term has underscored the issues that the club is currently beset with.

Ange Postecoglou has now been appointed and supporters will eagerly anticipate how the Australian will bolster the squad this summer.

One of his first moves could be to seal a swoop for Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie, who has been linked with a departure from Camp Nou after just one season and has been reported by Spanish publication AS to be of interest to the Lilywhites.

As per the report, a fee of €35m (£30m) could be required to prise him away, and given his imposing physicality and tendency to progress play with his barging presence, he could suit English football and Postecoglou's system to a tee.

Should Tottenham sign Franck Kessie?

Dubbed a "warrior" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 60-cap Ivory Coast international won Serie A last term and LaLiga this season, making 43 appearances for Xavi's outfit but only starting seven times in the league, consequently discontented with life in Catalonia and ostensibly seeking an exit, with Spurs all too willing to enrich their ranks.

If he is managed aptly, Kessie could be moulded as Tottenham's next version of Dele Alli, with the England international suffering misfortune and a plummet from prominence over the past several seasons but unequivocally one of the most prodigious talents to ever grace Premier League soil.

Alli plundered 67 goals and 61 assists from 269 appearances for Spurs before losing his spark and being shipped out to Everton at the midpoint of the 21/22 campaign, having now completed an unsuccessful season-long loan move with Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas.

At his resounding best, Alli was lauded as a talent with the "world at his feet" by Frank Lampard and "very special" by Xavi – two former stars who know a thing or two about how to succeed as a first-rate midfielder.

The one-time MK Dons youngster was best suited to an attacking role deployed behind the all-encompassing talisman Harry Kane, almost a shadow striker at times, and wreaked havoc with his unflinching approach and devastating offensive potency.

Praised as an "amazing player" by former Spurs 'keeper Paul Robinson, Kessie can emulate this; he ranks among the top 12% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for both touches in the attacking box and progressive passes received per 90, as per FBref, driving forward just like the 37-cap England ace.

And while the former AC Milan gem has been a peripheral figure with La Blaugrana this year, 19 goals across his final two seasons in Serie A, complemented by clinching the Scudetto last term, illustrates a goal-scoring prowess and a "devastating" danger, as remarked by Antonio Cassano, to match Alli's – who posted 37 strikes across his first three top-flight campaigns.

Kessie's possible transfer to Tottenham could well be an unmitigated success, with Kane's superlative skill as one of football's most creative striking focal points – ranking among the top 10% of strikers for shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive passes per 90 – providing Kessie with the perfect platform to unleash the full might of his attacking arsenal.

Forging a battle for top four and a confident domestic cup run is imperative next year and with Kessie's signing, the return to the former free-flowing football that left the Spurs support in raucous rapture could return to cast aside the cobwebs of the 22/23 term and drape the curtain irrevocably on the recent woes.

While Liverpool have already got their transfer business underway after sealing the signing of Alexis Mac Allister, there is also seemingly work to be done with regard to outgoings, with promising youngster Fabio Carvalho among those looking set for a departure.

As per journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Merseysiders have already rejected a bid from RB Leipzig for the 20-year-old, with the club only said to be willing to allow the former Fulham starlet to move out on loan this summer.

That uncertainty surrounding the playmaker's future comes following a frustrating debut campaign for the Portuguese gem at Anfield, with the 5 foot 7 ace having been restricted to just 13 Premier League appearances – only four of which came from the start.

Despite being hailed as a "big talent" by Jurgen Klopp earlier in the season, Carvalho has seemingly been unable to totally earn the faith of his manager, with the German previously stating that while the forward has done "nothing wrong", the team have simply been in need of "different skills".

As such, it is, therefore, no surprise that the Portugal U21 international could be on his way sooner rather than later, with Klopp already having a a wealth of young talent at his disposal who can quickly replace the £5m man in the first-team set up.

Among those who are particularly catching the eye is the Reds' teenage duo of Kaide Gordon and Ben Doak…

Who are Ben Doak and Kaide Gordon?

The two youngsters have both been recruited by the Merseysiders in recent years, with Gordon having been snapped up from Derby County back in 2021, while Doak joined from Old Firm giants, Celtic in 2022.

While it is still early days in their development, the pair have already sparked notable interest, with RedMen TV's Ste Hoare – in an interview with Football FanCast – stating that the attacking duo could fight it out to seal a regular place in the senior ranks, ahead of Carvalho.

The respected insider stated:

"I would be more excited about Ben Doak and Kaide Gordon being one of those to be the sixth option as a forward. So [Mohamed] Salah, [Darwin] Nunez, [Cody] Gakpo, [Luis] Diaz, [Diogo] Jota. And then I do think – obviously [Roberto] Firmino's left – so they're looking for, I guess, a sixth person in that rotation.

"There's a school of thought that it could be Harvey Elliott, but I still see him more playing in midfield. So I think I think there's definitely a slot for one of those young players to step up.

"We saw glimpses of Ben Doak last season and we saw Kaide Gordon the season before, before he had a hip injury. I think one of those two will slot in. I think, basically, it might even be a battle between those two actually to get to that sixth place.

"And it'd be interesting to see who comes out on top because they're both very exciting young players that are different in their skill sets. But I think one of those we might end up seeing as the sixth forward option especially, again, if Carvalho leaves the club like It looks like he might."

As Hoare alluded to, 17-year-old Doak – who typically operates on the right flank – enjoyed a real breakthrough campaign this season after notably bagging 11 goals and eight assists in all competitions at youth level as well as making five first-team outings, having been described as a "huge talent" by journalist Barry Anderson.

Gordon, meanwhile, has been hampered by injury over the last year or so, although the 18-year-old – who is also a right winger by trade – has already made four appearances for the first-team, scoring against Shrewsbury Town back in January 2022.

With the two wonderkids only on the cusp of the senior ranks at present, the departure of Carvalho could allow at least one of them the chance to establish themselves as a part of Klopp's forward line next term.