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Wrexham are gearing up for the 'transformative' impact of their Championship promotion, with the Welsh side stepping into a £100 million 'ecosystem'.

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Wrexham secured third straight promotionNew revenue streams to open up for clubAchievement will be 'transformative'Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons achieved an incredible third consecutive promotion on Saturday when they beat Charlton, ensuring they will finish second in League One and move up to the second tier of English football next season.

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Hollywood co-owners Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds will see a massive jump in their revenue as a result of the jump up the divisions, financial expert Dr Rob Wilson his highlighted, with a whole new universe of financial streams available for Wrexham.

WHAT DR WILSON SAID

"Significant. Transformative. Fantasy," he told when asked of the financial impact the achievement will have. "Championship status will place Wrexham in a £100m+ broadcast ecosystem, elevate match day and sponsorship revenues, and further globalise their brand, particularly in North America, where the underdog-to-elite storyline resonates powerfully. We should also remember that English football, while having a base in the US, is still finding its feet, and this will further drive engagement.

"It also enables Wrexham to dictate, to some extent, their own future. While they will rightly still leverage their owners Hollywood status, it does give the club more pedigree to earn its own revenues."

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Wrexham have skyrocketed to worldwide fame thanks to the presence of their film star owners. Their award-winning documentary series Welcome to Wrexham is still running on Disney+ and they have attracted sponsorships from the likes of TikTok and HP in recent years. It seems many more opportunities await the club in the coming months.

Bas de Leede made an impressive 66 but the rest of the batting struggled

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Aug-2022

Blair Tickner took out the Netherlands top order (file photo)•Corbis via Getty Images

Blair Tickner and Ben Sears shared seven wickets as New Zealand overcame a spirited Netherlands display to claim the first T20I in The Hague.New Zealand had to work hard to post 148 for 7 as the home side’s spinners made life tricky with Jimmy Neesham’s 32 off 17 providing important late impetus.Tickner then knocked over Netherlands’ top order, which included the ungainly dismissal of Max O’Dowd who was left flat in the crease after trying to scoop, as they slipped to 15 for 3 in the fourth over.Bas de Leede and captain Scott Edwards brought some stability with a stand of 49 to keep Netherlands in the hunt, but the partnership was broken when Glenn Phillips added another entry to his fielding highlights reel with a superb swooping catch in the deep to claim Edwards.Sears then caused problems with his pace, finding the top of Teja Nidamanuru with keeper Dave Cleaver jumping to take another smart catch.At 93 for 7 the game was just about done and it was too much for de Leede to overhaul despite his fine hand of 66 off 53 balls which ended in the final over to give Tickner his fourth.New Zealand had not been able to stamp their authority with the bat with Finn Allen, despite one six, not getting going in the powerplay which saw them 33 for 2 after six overs.They had only moved as far as 60 for 2 at the halfway mark and by the 15th over that had become an uncertain 95 for 5 with legspinner Shariz Ahmad removing Daryl Mitchell and Phillips – the latter to a sharp caught-and-bowled – while Martin Guptill had picked out deep square having anchored the innings.The momentum changed in the 17th over when Neesham took Logan van Beek for 22 including two sixes although he fell to the last ball of the over. Ish Sodhi then helped take 20 from the 19th over included a brace of sixes for himself.Between them Netherlands’ spinners took 4 for 80 from their 12 overs with Ahmad and Tim Pringle particularly impressive.The second and final T20I takes place on Friday.

Jonassen rises to No. 6 among bowlers while Ecclestone consolidates her position at the top

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jul-2022Australia captain Meg Lanning has reclaimed her position at the top of the ICC Women’s T20I rankings for batters by overtaking her team-mate Beth Mooney, who dropped down to No. 2. Left-arm spinner Jess Jonassen rose three spots to No. 6 in the bowlers’ list whereas Ashleigh Gardner climbed three spots to No. 7 in the allrounders’ category.ESPNcricinfo LtdAllrounder Tahlia McGrath strode up 15 spots to reach No. 13 among batters after her knock of 70 in the tri-series against Ireland. Rain allowed only two of Australia’s four games to be completed in the tri-series, and Lanning breezed to 39* and 74 against the hosts.Full Rankings Tables

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After beating South Africa 3-0 in the T20Is, England’s Katherine Brunt went up four spots to No. 3, on the back of being the joint-highest wicket-taker of the series with Sophie Ecclestone, who also took five wickets, and consolidated her position at the top.Three of South Africa’s batters made progress. Laura Wolvaardt jumped five places to take the 14th spot, Tazmin Brits went up 14 places to 24th, and Anneke Bosch, the series’ leading run-scorer, progressed 26 places to reach 21st spot. Among bowlers, Ayabonga Khaka rose to the top 10 with her four wickets in the series and Nonkululeko Mlaba’s three wickets took her to 24th.Wolvaardt made 89 runs in three innings, including a 49-ball 55 in the first game. Brits scored 59 in her only appearance, and Bosch scored 61 in the second T20I.

West Ham United have made an approach for a £20m Premier League forward who has a history of scoring against the Irons.

Potter gets first West Ham win vs Fulham

Graham Potter got his maiden league victory as Hammers boss at the first attempt on Tuesday evening, with West Ham beating Fulham 3-2 at the London Stadium.

Goals from Carlos Soler, Tomas Soucek and Lucas Paqueta were enough to cancel out Alex Iwobi’s brace for the visitors, with West Ham starting the game with Paqueta in attack due to injuries to Niclas Fullkrug, Jarrod Bowen and Michail Antonio.

Talking after the win, Potter said: “It was probably not one for the purists but from our point of view we are delighted with the three points. I think we started the game a little bit passive and credit to Fulham for being in the game well and we tried to get the crowd a little bit more involved.

“Fulham scored and we thought it was a bit tough. It was about sticking together. We had some breathing space but we were never comfortable and that’s why it’s nice to get over the line.”

Related West Ham now in pole position to sign "experienced" Rangers attacker

He’s enjoying an impressive season…

Posts ByTom Cunningham Jan 15, 2025

Attention can now turn to the transfer window for a few days before West Ham host Crystal Palace, with the Irons on the search for a striker solution for the second half of the campaign.

A number of attackers have been linked with moves to the Hammers, including summer target Jhon Duran. Reports have claimed that West Ham had a recent bid rejected for Aston Villa striker Duran, whereas speculation elsewhere has suggested that West Ham are planning a January loan bid for Marseille striker Elye Wahi.

Now, another name has emerged to solve Potter’s striker selection headache.

West Ham in talks to sign Nottingham Forest forward Awoniyi

According to Jack Rosser of The Sun, West Ham are interested in signing Nottingham Forest forward Taiwo Awoniyi. Rosser claims that the Irons have made an approach over a loan move, although a permanent transfer has also been discussed, with Forest wanting £20m.

Since then, Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed that talks are underway over a transfer for the Forest striker.

The 27-year-old has fallen out of favour at the City Ground under Nuno Espirito Santo, with Chris Wood the main man for Forest who are flying in the Premier League.

Awoniyi has been with Forest since 2022 and has a great record against West Ham, scoring three of his 18 goals for the Reds against the Irons.

The Nigeria international actually averages a goal every 75 minutes against the Hammers, so he could potentially be a shrewd option for Potter on loan.

He has found the back of the net just once in 18 appearances in all competitions during the current campaign, though, so West Ham may well be reluctant to match the £20m asking price set by Forest, making this one to keep an eye on before the deadline.

Paul Walter closes in on maiden first-class ton as Essex grind Yorkshire to tune of 234 for 3

Andrew Miller05-May-2022

Alastair Cook made yet another first-class hundred•Getty Images

Essex 234 for 3 (Cook 107, Walter 89*) vs Yorkshire
And so it came to pass that England’s former captain duly racked up a chanceless century at Chelmsford, in front of a bustling spring crowd and with more than just the usual smattering of photographers and TV cameras in attendance.Not that the innings told us much about Joe Root’s readiness for his return to the Test ranks, however, for the ex-skipper in question was Root’s own predecessor Alastair Cook. With the sun on his back, and full faith in a surface from which he has now picked off 258 runs in five innings this season, Cook ground along in his inimitably bloodless fashion for 20 minutes shy of six hours, with Paul Walter unwavering alongside him, on 89 from 228 balls.It was all thoroughly serene for Essex as the shadows began to stretch over the County Ground – misleadingly serene, you might argue, given the off-field developments in the club’s slow-burn racism row. An open-faced nudge through third man – all angles and soft hands – took Cook to 99, then one ball later, a back-foot crack through point carried him through to first-class hundred No. 71.But then, with a daddy seemingly at his mercy, Cook fatefully lost concentration with just four overs of the day remaining, under-edging a back-foot drive as Steve Patterson came round the wicket and departing with a swish of frustration but to a familiar standing ovation. It had been a similar scenario for his opening-day century against Kent, in fact – 100 from 266 balls then, 107 from 268 now. In his pomp, he wouldn’t have allowed a nightwatchman to get the best of the day two conditions, that’s for sure.Root, in his first public outing since stepping down as England captain, will have to wait – although you sense he’s already seen enough to know that his own first-class hundred No. 37 is very much on the cards sometime this weekend – assuming his team-mates give him a look-in. As an aside, there has surely never been a non-international fixture boasting two men with a combined Test runs tally as high as 22,361 duking it out on opposing teams.For the time being, Root was limited to three tidy overs of offspin in the afternoon session, while in an apparent demonstration of the “selfless” credentials that his successor Ben Stokes has called for in his Test team, he made only fleeting appearances on the periphery of the slip cordon – the suggestion being that he does not wish to disrupt Yorkshire’s more regular line-up of close catchers.Mind you, Yorkshire’s position in this game might have been better had he done so. After Nick Browne’s departure to the third ball of the match, Harry Brook, at Root’s habitual position of first slip, dropped a sitter off Tom Westley that could have left Essex teetering at 10 for 2. He later repeated the error as Cook, in a solitary aberration, climbed into a loose drive one ball after his century with Jordan Thompson twice the luckless bowler. George Hill, Browne’s executor, also let a tough low chance fizz through his grasp at third slip – the second of two lives in as many overs for Walter who, to complete a catalogue of what-ifs, was dropped by Patterson in his followthrough on 12.But all these moments were mere footnotes to another totemic grind from Cook, whose only moment of alarm prior to his hundred arguably came on 64, when Walter’s long levers connected sweetly with a biff through the line off Dom Bess that damned near decapitated his team-mate as he ducked for cover at the non-striker’s end.Cook’s opening gambit set the tone for the day. Essex’s innings was already 35 balls old before – to ironic cheers – he nudged a single off his legs to tick up the team’s first run, and leave them on a becalmed 1 for 1 after six overs: a powerplay this was not. His next scoring shot was a picture-perfect drive through the covers off Thompson, and seeing as that stroke tended to be the last one out of his locker during his Test career, it told you all you needed to know about another demon-free surface that doubtless meets the ECB’s new requirements but potentially at the cost of a short-term contest between bat and ball.Yorkshire huffed and puffed to little avail. The green tinge on the pitch had persuaded Patterson to bowl first after winning the toss, but without the cutting edge of Haris Rauf, who pulled his side after a first-innings five-for against Kent – let alone Matt Fisher and his euphemistically worded stress reaction in his back – there was little traction to be had from any of the remaining quicks.Instead it was left to Bess to carry the first-day burden with 23 tidily delivered overs, including the second of the two wickets they managed in the lifespan of their first new ball. The timing of that breakthrough was serendipitous, as Tom Westley feathered an edge through to Harry Duke in Bess’s first over, although the ball itself was little more than a wide long-hop. Nevertheless, as Bess demonstrated with his five-wicket haul in Sri Lanka last year, before his form disintegrated on the India leg of that trip, he does have a happy knack for such breakthroughs.By the close, all eyes had turned to Walter, and his quietly determined quest to atone for his disappointment against Northamptonshire last week. On that occasion, his excellent match-saving rearguard had ended seven runs shy of a maiden first-class hundred; today he left the field 11 runs short of the mark, but crucially, he did so having leant on his bat handle at the non-striker’s end while watching Sam Cook do his nocturnal duties. Having come so close so recently, he’s determined to make amends at the earliest opportunity.

Wolverhampton Wanderers remain 19th in the Premier League after they were beaten 2-1 by West Ham United at the London Stadium on Monday night.

The Old Gold have only won two of their 15 league matches so far and Gary O’Neil’s job may now be in danger, after The Telegraph reported that he was hanging by a thread ahead of the match.

Tomas Soucek and Jarrod Bowen scored the goals for the home team either side of Matt Doherty’s equaliser, to secure all three points for Julen Lopetegui’s men.

There were some contentious officiating decisions, as always seems to be the case for Wolves, that went against O’Neil’s side in London on Monday.

The VAR decisions that went against Wolves

There were two penalty decisions that went against the Old Gold in the match, with the first coming when Emerson’s challenge, which was not given as a foul on the field, on Goncalo Guedes was adjusted to have been outside of the box, despite it carrying on into the box.

Konstantinos Mavropanos later appeared to foul Jean-Ricner Bellegarde inside the box by standing on the attacker’s foot, although the way that the Wolves man ended up on the floor may not have helped his case.

As you can see in the clip above, there was also a good case to suggest that VAR should have intervened to ask the referee to take a second look at Mavropanos’ challenge on Santiago Bueno in the build-up to the winning goal from Bowen.

However, Wolves’ players also have to take some responsibility for their performances on the pitch. One player who may have let O’Neil, if he is to be sacked, down for the last time is central midfielder Joao Gomes.

Performance in Numbers

Want data and stats? Football FanCast's Performance in Numbers series provides you with the latest match analysis from across Europe.

Joao Gomes' performance in numbers against West Ham

The 23-year-old endured a frustrating evening at the London Stadium as he failed to make an impact on the game in or out of possession.

Gomes was withdrawn from the match in the 78th minute after he had seemingly grown more and more frustrated with the match and the officiating, committing six fouls and being shown a yellow card that has ultimately led to a suspension ahead of the weekend after five cautions this term.

The £15m Brazilian could not have had many complaints if he was shown a second yellow for his persistent fouling, along with his gestures of displeasure towards the referee after his sixth foul – shortly before O’Neil subbed him off.

Minutes played

78

Big chances missed

1

Big chances created

0

Duels won

2/13

Fouls committed

6

As you can see in the table above, Gomes struggled badly off the ball as he lost 11 of his 13 duels on the floor and in the air combined, which shows that the West Ham players found it easy to get the better of him in physical contests.

The midfielder also failed to influence the play at the top end of the pitch, with one ‘big chance’ missed and zero created for his teammates, which shows that he let the team down with his performance on and off the ball.

Therefore, Gomes was even worse than VAR for Wolves because his display – as shown by the statistics above – was objectively disappointing, whilst the VAR decisions were contentious, rather than stonewall errors.

Wolves plot transfer move for £34m gem who plays like Real Madrid's Rodrygo

Wolves’ hierarchy have their eye on an exciting young forward.

ByBrett Worthington Dec 9, 2024

There have been some outstanding clashes between Liverpool and Manchester City down the years in the Premier League and Champions League, but what are the best?

Arguably the greatest rivalry in English football over the past decade or so, the Reds and the Citizens have locked horns in several title races, as well as meeting in big European and FA Cup games.

In Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, Liverpool and City had two of the world’s best managers for years, and at their peak, the standard of football in clashes between the pair was unmatched.

The best grudge matches in English football

These teams don’t need to share a postcode to hate each other…

ByBarney Lane Nov 27, 2024

Here are our choices for the seven greatest Liverpool and City meetings – forgive us if you think recency bias has played a part, but there have been some classics in the last few years.

7 Liverpool 3-0 Man City, April 2018 Klopp's Reds stun Pep's City in Europe

When City and Liverpool were pitted against one another in the Champions League quarter-finals in 2017/18, it was a tie that made the rest of Europe sit up and take notice.

Guardiola’s side were cruising in the league, but the Reds had shown that they could hurt them earlier in the campaign, and they stunned their opponents here.

In one of the greatest first-half performances seen at Anfield, Mohamed Salah opened the scoring from close range, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain netted from distance and Sadio Mane headed home, all in front of a delirious Kop.

City looked for a vital away goal in the second half, but Liverpool produced a resolute defensive performance, securing a victory of major intent.

Liverpool's 9 best European nights – ranked

Liverpool have had plenty of wonderful European nights over the years.

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 27, 2024 6 Man City 1-2 Liverpool, April 2018 Liverpool progress in nervy Champions League thriller

In that first leg, Klopp’s men produced a stunning performance, but they knew they still had a lot of work to do in the return fixture.

When Gabriel Jesus fired City in front in the second minute, the Etihad erupted, and Liverpool found themselves on the back foot for the entire first half following a blistering display from the hosts.

The Reds managed to keep the score at 1-0, and as the hosts desperately searched for more goals in the second half, Salah sent the travelling fans wild with a dinked finish on the counter-attack.

Roberto Firmino then put the icing on the cake to seal a memorable 5-1 aggregate triumph.

5 Liverpool 3-2 Man City, April 2014 Coutinho scores memorable winner in pulsating title clash

The oldest game in this list has arguably become a forgotten classic due to there being so many special meetings in the years since.

City’s visit to Liverpool in April 2014 was one of the Reds’ biggest games in their Premier League history as they lay on the cusp of title glory. A victory would be huge – and Brendan Rodgers’ side duly delivered.

When Raheem Sterling (then still a Red) and Martin Skrtel scored first-half goals, Anfield was rocking and truly believing the title was finally heading their way again, but a David Silva strike and a Glen Johnson own goal stunned the home crowd.

There was still time for another twist, with Philippe Coutinho firing home his most important Liverpool goal, and while Jordan Henderson was sent off late on, Liverpool clung to their slender lead.

It was City who would have the last laugh, though, as they won their second Premier League title on the final day of the season.

4 Man City 2-2 Liverpool, April 2022 Nothing separates rivals in relentless Premier League clash

City hosted Liverpool in a massive Premier League encounter in April 2022, taking a one-point lead at the top of the table into the match.

Both knew the importance of victory at the Etihad and how damaging defeat would be, and in the end, both Guardiola and Klopp would have been content with a point apiece.

Kevin De Bruyne opened the scoring with a deflected effort to seemingly set City on their way to victory, but Diogo Jota responded before half-time to restore parity. Gabriel Jesus fired the hosts back in front, undoing Liverpool’s hard work.

Mane, playing in his final season at Anfield, stole in behind Kyle Walker to make it 2-2 in clinical fashion, and while both sides huffed and puffed for a winner, the scoreline remained the same. City eventually sealed title glory on the final day following a dramatic comeback at home to Aston Villa.

The best points totals in Premier League history

No room for the Invincibles here…

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 2, 2024 3 Liverpool 2-2 Man City, October 2021 Salah genius lights up Anfield

While the aforementioned 2-2 draw in Manchester in 2021/22 was a great game, this one from six months earlier was even better. In truth, the first half wasn’t exactly the most memorable 45 minutes, but the match came alive after the interval, with the two rivals trading blows spectacularly.

Mane opened the scoring, burying a finish past Ederson after superb work by Salah, but Phil Foden equalised with a ruthless strike of his own.

Salah then scored one of the best goals of his career, weaving past several City challenges before netting from a tight angle with his weaker right foot.

Liverpool desperately tried to cling on for a precious three points, but De Bruyne had other ideas, copying Salah and scoring with his weaker left peg. Rodri superbly denied Fabinho a winner with a crucial block with the Brazilian just about to tap into an empty net, and the scores remained level.

2 Liverpool 4-3 Man City, January 2018 Klopp's Liverpool truly announce themselves to Pep's City

In early 2018, Klopp’s Liverpool showed Guardiola’s City that they were capable not only of matching them, but beating them, as Anfield witnessed a Premier League classic.

Oxlade-Chamberlain opened the scoring with a long-range Kop strike, but a thunderous finish from Leroy Sane ensured that the visitors went in level at the break.

In an unbelievable eight-minute spell in the second half, Liverpool scored three times, with Firmino, Mane and Salah all getting on the scoresheet. The latter was from all of 40 yards out following a poor clearance by Ederson.

In true City fashion, though, they didn’t accept that they were beaten, and late goals from Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan made for a nervy finale. There was even time for Sergio Aguero to hit the side-netting in the dying seconds.

Pep Guardiola's 9 worst defeats at Manchester City – ranked

Pep Guardiola has endured some tough defeats as Manchester City manager, and is now in the worst run of his career.

ByRoss Kilvington Nov 27, 2024 1 Man City 2-1 Liverpool, January 2019 The most high-quality game in Premier League history?

This may surprise some as a pick for No.1, but it gets the nod because there arguably hasn’t been a Premier League game in history played at a higher level.

This meeting at the Etihad in January 2019 saw both City and Liverpool somewhere close to the absolute peak of their powers.

The Reds went into the match seven points ahead of their adversaries, and in hindsight, their failure to avoid defeat ultimately proved costly in this tense title battle with Guardiola’s side.

Liverpool somehow hadn’t taken the lead in the first half when Mane hit the post and John Stones cleared off the line to deny the on-rushing Salah. Aguero then opened the scoring with a brilliant effort, but Firmino finished off an incredible team move to equalise in the second half.

It was left to Sane to separate the two teams, with the German beating Alisson with a shot that went in off the post. The game would be the only one Liverpool lost in the league.

City won the title on the final day, but the Reds had the consolation of sealing Champions League glory.

This was a match that perfectly summed up the level of football these two great sides can produce against each other.

Also says Champaka Ramanayake likely to work with senior side’s fast bowlers till a replacement found for Ottis Gibson

Mohammad Isam10-Feb-2022BCB president Nazmul Hassan has said that Jamie Siddons is Bangladesh’s next batting coach. This comes a day after Ashwell Prince tendered his resignation from the job, citing “family reasons”.Siddons had arrived in Dhaka last week, without a role specified by the BCB – Hassan had said in December that it was “not yet finalised in which area he will work in, whether it is the High Performance, Under-19s or the senior team”. The 57-year-old Australian has spent most of his time since watching BPL matches.”Jamie Siddons will be the national team’s batting coach. We have heard from senior cricketers and board directors that he is a good coach, which is why we brought him here,” Hassan told .Siddons, who worked as Bangladesh’s head coach from 2007 to 2011 delivering several breakthroughs, was first contacted in May last year when Bangladesh were trying to replace Neil McKenzie with a permanent batting coach. The BCB shortlisted Prince and Siddons, with the former being appointed in July ahead of the Zimbabwe series.Hassan believes that Prince’s decision to exit was prompted by the hiring of Siddons. “Maybe after Siddons’ arrival, Prince thought we were thinking differently,” he said. “But he could have stayed so that we could get him to work in a different capacity.”The board is looking to hire specialist fast-bowling and fielding coaches, but it is likely that they won’t having anyone from overseas in place ahead of the Afghanistan series that begins on February 23. Champaka Ramanayake, BCB’s fast-bowling consultant for high performance unit, is likely to work with the senior side in an interim role.”We are looking for a pace-bowling coach who has experience working with international teams. Till then, Champaka (Ramanayake) can work with them,” Hassan said.He said that Ottis Gibson’s exit as Bangladesh’s fast-bowling coach has cost them. “More than Prince, the bigger loss is Gibson’s departure. All the fast bowlers said that they were learning a lot from him.”

Leah Williamson heralded Arsenal as her "first love" as she celebrated 250 appearances with a 5-0 win over Tottenham in the WSL on Sunday.

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• Arsenal thrash Tottenham 4-0
• Williamson makes 250th appearance for Gunners
• Celebrates win with her "first true love"

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  A presentation was made to Williamson before the thumping victory to celebrate the milestone. The Gunners then went on to do the business in front of a packed Emirates crowd, seeing off their north London rivals in convincing fashion.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Williamson is a one-club player, making her debut for Arsenal when she was aged 17 in 2014 and remaining with the club ever since, winning the 2018-19 WSL as well as two FA Cups and two League Cups. And she celebrated a memorable day in superb style, her side convincingly seeing off Tottenham with two goals before the break and three more after it.

• WHAT WILLIAMSON SAID

  Williamson wrote on Instagram: "If we don't celebrate the moments then what is it al for… My childhood club, my first love, The Arsenal. I love playing in red and white"

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WILLIAMSON AND ARSENAL?

  Arsenal are still technically in the hunt for the WSL title, though Chelsea lead the pack by seven points and look formidable on 13 wins and one draw from their 14 matches. The Gunners are in the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Champions League, with Williamson aiming to chip away at the appearances required to reach 300 between now and the end of the season.

Since being handed his Liverpool debut by Jurgen Klopp back in 2016 when he was just 18 years old, Trent Alexander-Arnold has been an integral figure for the Reds.

He’s played over 300 times in total, mostly at right-back, and has wowed fans with his impressive attacking output, scoring 23 goals and producing an astonishing 92 assists.

His attacking prowess from the right flank has helped Liverpool lift nearly every major trophy possible, including the Champions League and the Premier League on two occasions.

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ByBarney Lane Oct 19, 2024

“An outstanding talent and he has turned into a world-class football player,” Klopp said of Alexander-Arnold just before he left the club at the end of last season.

“He’s one people will talk about 20, 30, 40 years,” the German added.

Sadly for Liverpool fans, a future without their star right-back is now a reality. The Englishman is in the final year of his contract at Anfield and has now officially confirmed that he’ll be heading to Real Madrid.

So, with that now finally out in the open, here are five players the Reds could turn to as a replacement for their iconic academy graduate.

1 Denzel Dumfries Inter

In the later stages of last year, it was reported that the Reds had an agreement in place to bring Inter right-back Denzel Dumfries to Anfield in the summer. Dumfries was initially out of contract at the end of the season at the time of the reports, meaning he could have been brought to Merseyside on a free transfer.

However, in November of 2024, he penned new terms at the San Siro, making this a deal that’s rather trickier to complete.

Last season, the 28-year-old Dutchman, who joined Inter in 2021 from PSV, racked up four goals and six assists in 36 appearances for Inter, helping them lift the Serie A title.

Dumfries has also been linked with Manchester United and Aston Villa, both of whom reportedly tried and failed to land him in the summer transfer window.

2 Jeremie Frimpong Bayer Leverkusen

Another Dutch right-back who has been on Liverpool’s radar is Jeremie Frimpong, according to the Liverpool Echo.

In 2024, it was said that the Reds were one of a number of clubs keeping tabs on the Bayer Leverkusen star, who was a key player for Xabi Alonso’s side as they lifted the Bundesliga title for the first time in their 120-year history last term.

Like Alexander-Arnold, Frimpong is an attack-minded full-back. Last season, he hit 14 goals and produced 12 assists in all competitions.

However, Frimpong usually plays as a right wing-back, which could pose an issue for Liverpool manager Arne Slot, who typically plays with a traditional back four.

3 Vanderson Monaco

While Frimpong and Dumfries can be considered more attacking full-backs, AS Monaco’s Vanderson is quite the opposite.

Though he does nab the occasional goal or assist, the Brazilian is a truly outstanding defender. According to FBref, he ranks in the 99th percentile for tackles and the 97th for interceptions when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

And according to reports in Spain, the 23-year-old, who recently made his senior debut for Brazil, is one of the names Liverpool are considering as a potential replacement for Alexander-Arnold.

Speaking about the player during the start of his second season at Monaco in September 2022, former Monaco boss Philippe Clemente described him as “very ambitious and a huge perfectionist”.

“Every day he wants to be better than the last,” Clemente said.

4 Pedro Porro Tottenham Hotspur

According to more recent reports elsewhere, Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro is “right at the top” of Liverpool’s list of potential Alexander-Arnold replacements.

Porro, 25, has been one of the Premier League’s outstanding full-backs over the past two seasons, impressing with his defensive stability, smart wing play and eye for goal – the latter of which was best demonstrated by his thumping long-range strike against Burnley, which won Spurs’ Goal of the Season award last year.

Of Liverpool’s proposed right-back targets, Porro is arguably the most similar to Alexander-Arnold. Both players are excellent progressive passers, boast exceptional outputs in the final third and are extremely comfortable in possession.

However, what’s most interesting about Liverpool’s links with Porro is that the Spaniard and Alexander-Arnold are both thought to be wanted by Real Madrid. Indeed, Porro has not been shy about his desire to play for Los Blancos one day.

So if Madrid do move for Alexander-Arnold, do Liverpool fans really want to then bring in a player who they know will still be dreaming of a move to the Santiago Bernabeu himself? Maybe not.

5 Conor Bradley Liverpool

In life, sometimes you find that the thing you’ve been looking for has been right in front of you all along. For Liverpool, that thing could be Conor Bradley.

Like Alexander-Arnold, Bradley came through Liverpool’s academy and was handed his first-team debut by Klopp in January 2024. Since then, he’s gone from strength to strength, filling in for the England ace on a number of occasions, including in the Carabao Cup final win over Chelsea.

Bradley, while nowhere near as attack-minded as his teammate, is a tenacious tackler and a good header of the ball. He offers the sort of defensive solidity that Alexander-Arnold has often been criticised for during his Liverpool career.

Last season, for example, albeit within far fewer minutes, Bradley went the whole season without making an error – which FBref defines as a mistake leading to a shot. Alexander-Arnold made five of those, which was the most of any player in Liverpool’s squad.

Bradley’s not glamorous, but he’s already shown himself to be a solid player when called upon, and at just 21 years of age, there is still plenty of room for improvement. Plus, he wouldn’t cost the Reds a penny, which is always a bonus.

Liverpool legend Mark Lawrenson thinks the Northern Ireland international is the man for the job. “I think Conor Bradley has the makings of an outstanding full-back if Trent were to leave,” he recently told SportsCasting. “He’s shown that he’s ready to start more for the first team and already has a number of good displays to point to.”