European left-back duo linked & fans given hope of return to matches – Liverpool FC Roundup

Liverpool are facing a long spell without not just one, but two senior centre-backs as the fallout from Joe Gomez‘s injury becomes clear.

 

European teenagers linked with Reds

The links never stop with Liverpool in the transfer market and we can probably expect a few more to come up over the coming weeks at centre-back.

Today, though, it’s another area of the pitch where we’ve apparently been casting our eyes.

First up, Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde has just been called up to the first-team scene after starring in the UEFA Youth League and the Reds, along with Chelsea, want to sign him from the Catalan outfit according to Sport.

Secondly, Sporting CP’s Nuno Tavares is again linked with us, but this time with Record suggesting we are front-runners to sign him and Sporting want to raise his release clause accordingly, up to €70 million.

Both teenagers are left-backs, which makes it incredibly unlikely we’ll fork out that much given we’ve recently signed Kostas Tsimikas.

 

Hope springs eternal for fans’ return to games

Liverpool fans before the UEFA Champions League, Group E match at Anfield. Wednesday September 13, 2017. Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire

A new quick-turnaround Covid-19 testing procedure has given football fans renewed hope of returning to stadiums [relatively] soon.

Nobody has been to Anfield, or any other stadium (other than one successful pre-season test at Brighton) since March and at present it doesn’t look great for a return in 2020/21.

But a report in the UK news today suggests that a £5, 15-minute testing process could allow users a “day pass” to public events such as the theatre or indeed football matches if they display a negative result.

There’s clearly still a way to go, both for the procurement of such tests and the vaccine itself. But maybe, just maybe, we’re getting there.

 

Joe Gomez latest

LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, October 17, 2020: Liverpool’s Joe Gomez walks back to the dressing room at full time after an injury time winning goal was disallowed following a VAR review during the FA Premier League match between Everton FC and Liverpool FC, the 237th Merseyside Derby, at Goodison Park. The game was played behind closed doors due to the UK government’s social distancing laws during the Coronavirus COVID-19 Pandemic. The game ended in a 2-2 draw. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

Have we bought Joel Matip that big bouncy woolly duvet yet?

 

Quickfire LFC news

BERGAMO, ITALY - Tuesday, November 3, 2020: Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum smiles during the UEFA Champions League Group D match between Atalanta BC and Liverpool FC at the Stadio di Bergamo. (Pic by Simone Arveda/Propaganda)

  • Dejan Lovren says change is needed to a “crazy” schedule to prevent injuries (TIA)
  • Sadio Mane notched a goal and an assist, while Tsimikas gained minutes on international duty (TIA)
  • Gini Wijnaldum has apparently given the club a recommendation to sign ex-Watford right-back Daryl Janmaat, who is on a free transfer (Star)
  • And Alisson says he’ll return to Brazil to play for Internacional before he retires…but that’s a long way off yet (Mail)

 

Around the Prem

MADRID, SPAIN - Friday, May 31, 2019: Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-min during a training session ahead of the UEFA Champions League Final match between Tottenham Hotspur FC and Liverpool FC at the Estadio Metropolitano. (Pic by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)

  • Palace midfielder Luka Milivojevic is out of tonight’s play-off final after testing positive for Covid (BBC)
  • Son Heung-min is going to get a new contract at Spurs for £200k a week, and at this rate he’ll be about 52 before they give him enough raises to actually pay him enough for what he’s worth (Guardian)
  • James Tarkowski says he rejected a new Burnley contract because it was “totally unacceptable” – apparently one of the clauses stipulated that he had to keep playing for Burnley, so we understand entirely (Telegraph)
  • And Arsenal are keen on Leipzig duo Ibrahima Konate and Christopher Nkunku, which isn’t a surprise. If they actually manage to sign them, however, it would be (Bild)

 

Stupid internationals of the day

God almighty, this international break is idiotic. Domagoj Vida, Croatia centre-back, took a coronavirus test with the rest of his team yesterday morning. They didn’t get the results back until after the match had already started. He was positive. He was playing. He was subbed off.

WHAT IS THE POINT?

 

Tweet of the day

If Jota gets injured can we sign Rinsola Babajide to Klopp’s side?

 

What we’re reading

The 22 weirdest things to happen in football, featuring the beach-ball goal, Tim Sherwood sticking a fan on the managerial bench, a chicken at Blackburn and a lot more – on FourFourTwo.

 

Worth watching tonight

Where are you from? England face Ireland in a friendly, Scotland face Serbia and Northern Ireland host Slovakia – the latter two games a play-off final to reach Euro 2020 or 21 or whatever we’re calling it. In any case, stress, sweat, swearing and beers are expected, one way or another. 7:45 kick-offs.

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