Liverpool FC are done, with all competitions, until the Community Shield and the 2020/2021 season arrives. That said it’s going to be an interesting, exciting and eventful off-season, so let’s start covering some of the happenings. As the Shelbyville tow truck guy on that one episode of The Simpsons said, “there’s a doings a transpiring.”
We start with some transfer talk, as Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed Thiago Alcantara wants out of Bavaria this summer.
Reports in recent weeks have claimed that Liverpool his preferred destination, with some articles even suggesting that the Reds had already agreed personal terms with the 29-year-old Spanish international.
He could probably be had for a bargain price, some outlets claiming as low as £27 million, because he has now entered the final 12 months of his current contract. Bayern has to cash in now, or risk losing him on a free. The Echo has more at this link.
Elsewhere, LFC CEO Peter Moore is set to step down at the end of next month, and he’ll replaced by Managing director Billy Hogan, the club announced in a statement today.
Elsewhere, Sevilla center back Diego Carlos is wanted by both Liverpool and Manchester City, with both northwest England giants willing to meet his £70m release clause. The Daily Star has more on the 27 year-old Brazilian.
Finally, Spreadex, a financial services and sports betting firm, released their season-long player performance stats rankings yesterday, and City midfield maestro Kevin De Bruyne topped the long list.
De Bruyne collected 3270 Player Performance points, with a system that works likes this: 25 points per goal, 10 per assist, 10 every time the woodwork is struck, five for a shot on target, five for a blocked shot inside six yards, three per free kick won, two per off target shot and two for every completed pass in the opposition half.
City had the most players in the top 20, with seven, two more than Liverpool’s five. Andrew Robertson ranked highest of the Reds on the list, coming in at #3, Trent Alexander-Arnold was right behind him at #4, Virgil van Dijk was #6, Sadio Mane was #13 and Mo Salah was #18.
Jordan Henderson may have controversially won the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year Award, but he is #27 on this list for what it’s worth.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” regularly contributes to WGN TV, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Now and SB Nation.
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