Looking for Soccer News?

David Alaba would prefer to head for Spain rather than Liverpool once the day comes for him to leave Bayern Munich, claims Dietmar Hamann, with it unlikely that the Reds will able to land any of their top defensive targets in January.

Jurgen Klopp continues to explore all of the options available to him ahead of another winter transfer window swinging open.

The reigning Premier League champions have seen their ranks decimated by injury in 2020-21, with tactical tinkering becoming the order of the day at Anfield.

Much of that pack shuffling has taken place at the back, with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip taking in untimely spells on the treatment table.

With so much experience stuck on the sidelines, it has been suggested that Liverpool will look to bring in reinforcements at the next opportunity.

Versatile Austria international Alaba, who continues to run down his contract towards free agency, has seen a move to Merseyside mooted.

The 28-year-old is, however, also said to be of interest to La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, meaning that he could be out of reach for Klopp.

Hamann expects that to be the case, with Dayot Upamecano of RB Leipzig expected to be another centre-half option that will not hit the market until the summer of 2021 at the earliest.

Discussing Liverpool’s links to Alaba with Stadium Astro, former Reds and Bayern midfielder Hamann said: “I think his preferred destination was always Spain. I’m not sure if he wants to go to the Premier League and come to Liverpool.

“The fact that Liverpool are interested is not a surprise because Alaba has probably been one of the best centre-backs – after Van Dijk – for the last 12-18 months. I just don’t see Bayern Munich letting him go in January.

“Upamecano from Leipzig, who is absolutely tremendous at the back, Leipzig won’t let him go.

“I don’t think there is any chance whatsoever that they get a centre-back who will improve them for the next six weeks or next few years.”

Hamann added on Upamecano and the big recruitment calls facing Liverpool: “I think he has a clause in the summer. These clubs won’t sell.

“He [Klopp] needs to see what he can get in January. You look at players who are not in the Champions League, maybe a bit lower down, and I’m not sure this is the type of player that Liverpool need to improve.

“If you have to play Fabinho and Matip, yes he hasn’t stayed fit but maybe you get eight or 10 games out of him. [Jordan] Henderson can fill in. Fabinho is hardly injured. I would stay put for now.

“If an opportunity arises then of course you have to think about it, but I don’t see any of the top clubs letting their best players go in January. I think it’s unlikely they are going to buy one.”

Liverpool have returned to the top of the Premier League table this season, but now have Manchester United breathing down their neck and are aware of the need to have no chinks in their armour as they chase down back-to-back title triumphs.

Bruno Fernandes is following in the footsteps of iconic countryman Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, with the Portuguese now adopting the mindset of a five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

The Red Devils have found Iberian inspiration on a regular basis down the years, with star turns from that part of the world becoming talismanic figures at Old Trafford.

Fernandes currently fits that bill, with the 26-year-old continuing to star for a side that is daring to dream of challenging for the Premier League title in 2021.

Ronaldo once led that charge for United, with the current Juventus frontman claiming nine pieces of silverware during his time in England.

Continuous improvement was sought by a modern-day great as he rose to superstardom in Manchester, with Fernandes looking to do likewise as he seeks to rekindle former glories.

“In everything in life, you have to improve and understand you’re not the worst and you are not the best,” Fernandes, who has contributed 26 goals and 17 assists to the United cause through 45 appearances, told the club’s official website.

“There is always time to improve. It’s impossible to be the worst because you have time to improve, and it’s impossible to be the best because you always have time to improve.

“If you see Cristiano and [Lionel] Messi, they are improving all seasons. How is this possible? Everyone says it’s impossible to do better but, every season, they do better and better and better.

“It is 11 years fighting for a Ballon d’Or and this will never happen again. It will never happen again in the story of football because they are still improving and I have the chance to be with Cristiano in the national team.

“I see the way he wants to improve every time, in free-kicks, in shots, in headers, in penalties and you want everything. You want to improve every time.

“When you lose, he knows he has to improve more and when you win, he understands he needs to go to the details of the good [work] to improve a little bit more.”

Fernandes wants that approach to be embraced by everyone at Old Trafford, with United having come through some testing times to put themselves back in contention for major honours.

“I think it’s important for us inside to understand,” Fernandes added.

“The club have a lot of media behind, a lot of people talking. They will be talking all the time. They want to talk when you lose, they don’t want to talk when you win, because it is better to attack than to defend the club.

“I think the most important thing is, inside of the group, we understand what we have to do, what we have to improve, where we are and where we want to go. For me, the most important thing is like when we lose, we are not the worst.

“Of course if you lose, you did mistakes and you need to go into training the next day and think what can we improve now to not make the same mistakes in the next game.

“For me, in life, it is always like that. In your entire life, you do mistakes. It is impossible not to do mistakes in your personal life, in football, in other sports. You always make mistakes because without mistakes, goals do not exist. It’s impossible in a game of football.

“Of course, if someone takes the ball and shoots from 40 yards in the first two seconds of a game, you can say maybe nobody did a mistake. But someone maybe needs to mark him and maybe the coach of the other team will think it’s a mistake from my midfielder or my defender who didn’t mark him and gave him too much space.”

Netherlands great Clarence Seedorf has been training with Virgil van Dijk, and has talked positively about the Liverpool defender’s determination to return to action.

Van Dijk suffered what appeared to be a season-ending injury against Everton on October 17, with Jordan Pickford’s wild lunge at the defender resulting in cruciate knee ligament damage.

Liverpool are putting no timeframe on their towering centre-back’s return to the fold, but he is working hard on a tailored training programme.

Van Dijk has been in Dubai working on his rehabilitation, and he was joined in the warmer climes of the Nad Al Sheba Sports Complex by fellow countryman and multiple Champions League winner Seedorf.

Seedorf posted an update on Instagram, where he talked in positive terms of Van Dijk’s efforts to return to full fitness as quickly as possible.

“I joined the captain Virgil van Dijk for some training today,” Seedorf said. “Happy to see his determination and hard work to be back on the pitch stronger than before! 

“In these type of journeys, patience and focus are key to succeed. 

“Keep it up my brother!”

Liverpool are on a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions, with their defensive record fairly solid, but they have not enjoyed a positive festive period as they drew 1-1 at home to West Brom and 0-0 at Newcastle.

The Reds will welcome in the New Year as Premier League leaders, but they could be joined at the top by Manchester United should Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s Red Devils win their game in hand.

As well as being without Van Dijk, Reds boss Jurgen Klopp confirmed another injury absence to a centre-back, with Joel Matip facing a number of weeks on the sidelines with a groin complaint.

"The normal situation with this kind of injury is around about three weeks," Klopp said of the injury Matip picked up against West Brom.

If Van Dijk makes a return before the end of the season, it will be viewed as a huge positive by the Reds.

The key for Klopp will be to get back to winning ways, starting with the trip to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton on January 4.

Manchester United are interested in Norwich City right-back Max Aarons, but it is understood a deal in the January transfer window seems unlikely.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer rates the 20-year-old full-back and the club looked into the possibility of a move during the summer window but nothing ever came to fruition.

A deal has been discussed, with United looking to bring more competition in for Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who has been at the club just over a year, on the right side of defence.

Diogo Dalot, who also plays in that position, was sent on loan to AC Milan at the start of the current campaign and Solskjaer was left to play Victor Lindelof at right-back in the recent draw against Leicester in the league.

It is understood Aarons is open to a potential move and United have discussed the possibility of a transfer. However, there are a few different factors as to why it is unlikely. 

He has started all 22 of Norwich’s league games this season as they look to push back to the Premier League and has established himself as a regular in the squad, while the overall fee was an issue when they were considering a move in the summer window.

But while United are expecting to have a relatively quiet winter window, with the club preferring to do their business in the summer, there should be at least one incoming as Amad Diallo is expected to arrive from Atalanta.

The club agreed a deal for the 18-year-old winger in the summer window but he stayed in Italy ahead of his move this January. 

Brexit means new rules governing the signing of overseas players come into force after December 31, but the club are confident they will be able to complete the signing, which was agreed in October, ahead of the teenager moving in the coming weeks.

Another young player who the club have registered their interest in is Moises Caicedo. It is understood United have been exploring a transfer for the 19-year-old midfielder from Independiente del Valle but, contrary to reports in South America, they have not agreed a deal for the teenager.

Transfer funds are available for Solskjaer in this window but United will only move for players if they are summer targets who become available at the right price.

Manchester United’s rise to second place in the Premier League table is “no accident”, says Tomasz Kuszczak, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer considered to be doing “something fantastic” at Old Trafford.

A Norwegian tactician filling the most demanding of posts has not always enjoyed such lavish praise.

Questions have been asked of his ability to deliver on expectations throughout an eventful spell that has delivered a number of highs and lows.

United are very much back on an upward curve at present, having moved to within three points of the Premier League summit while boasting a game in hand on Liverpool, and optimism is building again in Manchester.

Much of that had been eroded in the wake of Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013, with the Red Devils regressing horribly, but patience is now being rewarded.

A title challenge appears to be on the cards, with Kuszczak impressed by what he has seen from a rejuvenated United.

The former Red Devils goalkeeper, who formed part of three title-winning squads in his playing days, told Stadium Astro: “In football we have waves where you dominate the league and European football – United had that.

“Sir Alex Ferguson did what he did for 26 years. He built the team and had big titles. After he left, we saw what happens – quick buy, quick sell, big decisions.

“The fans wanted to see United on top but it doesn’t always happen like that. Everyone could see a period of transition was needed and now something new is there.

“I can feel the trust that Ole has from the owners and supporters. It’s building up and he deserves that.

“He came in during a difficult moment and there were doubts about his name across experts – was he experienced enough?

“He is starting to do something fantastic. They are second, let’s build on that. It may change quickly but it’s no accident. There must be something in it.”

Kuszczak added: “If you look across the season it has been a bit up and down. It’s nice to be on top. You have to start to build on something.

“They can think ‘we are there’. They are second now, so hold on to that. Every game have the same mentality and see what happens. That is the right mentality for the team, to be humble and want to win trophies.”

While talking up United’s impressive form in 2020-21, as they rediscover how to grind results out, Kuszczak believes there is still room for improvement from Solskjaer’s side.

He said: “The strength of Manchester United in the past was not only scoring goals, it was defending as well. The great results and end of season trophies come from not just scoring goals.

“I think they have improved as a team. But against Leicester they had the lead twice and lost goals. Games like that happen all the time.

“If you want to achieve something in the Premier League and win trophies, you have to learn how to play and win games like that. If you look at records in the past and teams winning trophies, they have been fantastic at that – home and away.”

Radja Nainggolan has fired a parting shot at Inter after returning to Cagliari on loan, claiming the "joy of playing football was taken away from me".

Nainggolan made his way back to San Siro in the summer following a successful temporary spell with Cagliari last season.

Unfortunately, the midfielder has been starved of regular minutes since then, with Antonio Conte only using him in five of Inter's last 20 games across all competitions.

Rather than continue playing a bit-part role in the Nerazzurri squad, Nainggolan has opted to re-join Cagliari until their end of the current campaign, with the Sardinia-based club confirming his arrival on Thursday morning.

An official statement on Cagliari's website reads: "Cagliari Calcio is pleased to announce that it has acquired the right to the sports services of the player Radja Nainggolan who moves from Inter with the loan formula until the end of the season. 

"Like a long love story, tinged with red and blue: Cagliari and Nainggolan once again together. Because the little boy who became a man and a footballer on the island, who left to take flight and rise to an absolute level champion, has always carried the flag of Sardinia with him, the Quattro Mori tattooed in his heart. 

"Radja Nainggolan is back, ready to wear his 4 again, to battle in the middle of the field, to write new pages in Cagliari."

Nainggolan couldn't resist a final dig at his parent club when quizzed by reporters at the airport on his way to Sardegna Arena, as he admitted that his passion for the game had dwindled during his last few months at San Siro.

"I'm happy to be here, I want to rediscover the joy of playing football that was taken away from me in this first part of the year," said the Belgium international.

"The team is strong and competitive and with many promising young players. Maybe it lacks a bit of continuity during the game, it's not easy with so many new features.

"I'd like to put my experience at the service of the team. I've read absurd things, I'm intact and can't wait to play. If I will stay permanently? Now I'm being moved left and right, let's see."

Nainggolan could make his first appearance of the season for Cagliari when they play host to Napoli on January 3.

Eusebio Di Francesco's side are currently struggling down in 15th in the Serie A standings, some 19 points behind Inter, who are sitting second behind leaders and local rivals Milan.

Juventus have ruled themselves out of the running for Diego Costa, Goal has learned, with the Serie A champions not about to join the transfer race for a fiery Spain international despite being in the market for another striker.

A proven 32-year-old frontman, Costa has dropped into the free agent pool. Atletico Madrid have agreed to the early termination of Costa’s contract, allowing him to seek out another employer.

While a second spell with the Rojiblancos did not play out as planned for the Brazil-born forward, he continues to boast an impressive CV.

Costa helped Atletico to La Liga title glory and the Champions League final during his first stint in the Spanish capital, before going on to lift the Premier League crown on two occasions with Chelsea.

That success could not be replicated back in Madrid, as he netted just 19 times through 81 appearances, but plenty of interest in his services is expected to be shown.

Leading sides in Serie A are mulling over their options, with AC Milan and Juventus eager to add more goal threat to their respective ranks.

A switch to Italy for Costa is, however, unlikely.

Juve certainly have no intention of making a move to bring in the ex-Chelsea man alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Co.

An approach would make sense to the Bianconeri in terms of finding a rotation option that would be happy to spend time on the bench and become an impact player for Andrea Pirlo.

Costa, though, would bring plenty of baggage with him and is not considered to be worth the risk for those in Turin.

As a result, Juve will be scouring the market for alternative targets that can be acquired at a reasonable price – with CEO Fabio Paratici already charged with the task of unearthing a hidden gem.

With the Italian title holders looking elsewhere, the path is clear for others to put offers to Costa.

A number of teams in Brazil are said to be keen on returning the burly striker to his roots, but heading to South America is not a priority for the player at this stage.

Costa would prefer to remain in a competitive European division for now and there is every chance that he will head back to England – amid talk of interest from Wolves, Tottenham and Arsenal – as he seeks to rediscover the spark that once delivered 59 goals through 120 outings for Chelsea.

Uganda midfielder Tony Mawejje has stated his colleagues are prepared and ready for the pre-African Nations Championship (Chan) tournament and eventually the competition itself.

Cranes were invited for the mini-tournament alongside hosts Cameroon, Zambia and Niger. The experienced midfielder has further confirmed every player is ready and psyched up for the matches.

"All the players are in great condition," Mawejje, who has made 83 appearances for the East Africa nation said.

"Obviously we travelled well and have been able to have our first training session here in Cameroon.

"The mood in the camp is tremendous, the boys are bouncing and are giving their all in training. The attitude and mentality are superb. You can see that everyone is in peak condition and we look determined to take on the task as we continue with our preparations. 

"We cannot wait for the tournament underway because the players are bracing to go out there and prove they deserved their spot on the team."

Cranes will start their campaign on Friday against the Indomitable Lions on Friday, December 1. 

They will then return to action on January 4 against Mulitin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic’s Zambia before concluding with a game against Niger on January 7.

Uganda are among the teams invited for the mini-tournament, which will be used by most of the participating teams to gauge their preparedness ahead of the Chan tournament that will also be held in Cameroon.

Cameroon have been pooled in Group A of the Chan tournament with Mali, Burkina Faso, and Zimbabwe while Group B comprises Libya, DR Congo, Congo, and Niger.

Group C has Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, and Togo while Group D has Zambia, Guinea, Namibia, and Tanzania. Two top teams will make it to the knockout phase.

The Cranes, who will be taking part in their fifth consecutive Chan tournament after featuring in 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2018 editions, will face Rwanda on January 18 at the Stade de Unification in Douala, before tackling Togo on January 22 at the same venue.

The final group game will be on January 26 against Morocco.

KCCA Players will be joining their colleagues for the tournament after their Caf Confederation Cup game with As Kigali.

Young Africans (Yanga SC) have come out to clarify they don’t have plans to let go of their new signing Carlos Carlinhos.

The Angolan star joined Yanga at the start of the 2020-21 season but has struggled to claim his starting role with injuries putting him out of the starting squad.

Despite starting well, earning three assists and two goals, Carlinhos got injured and even missed the derby against Simba SC.

His situation has kept Yanga fans guessing with others feeling the player should be allowed to leave.

However, the Jangwani giants, through vice-chairman of the Yanga Registration Committee Hersi Said have said they still have plans with the player and that he will not be leaving any time soon.

“Carlinhos has been injured and was injured for some time now,” Said told Mwanaspoti as quoted by Sokalabongo. “There was a time when he was given a break while receiving treatment and he has now begun to practice slowly on the instructions of doctors.

“The club is monitoring everything and we have been told he can be ready maybe from January, we are all waiting and it is not true that we want to fire him, this is still our player until his two-year contract expires.”

Yanga are currently in Mbeya preparing to start the second round of the Mainland Premier League with a clash against Tanzania Prisons at Nelson Mandela Stadium.

However, the team has suffered a huge blow after coach Cedric Kaze confirmed that three key players - Saidi Ntibazonkiza, Yacouba Sogne, and Ditram Nchimbi are doubtful to face the Prison Warders owing to injuries and family issues.

“Both Ntibazonkiza and Yacouba picked up injuries during the Ihefu match while Nchimbi has been permitted to go and settle family problems but we still have a room for the named injured players to see how they will respond to the final training session and then we will know whether to feature them or not,” Kaze told Daily News.

On facing Tanzania Prisons, Kaze said: “Each game is different and we are aware that Tanzania Prisons are a good side too as they play as a team and they have a coach with vast experience of the Mainland Premier League but we have prepared in accordance with the status of the game itself.”

Yanga will head into the first match of the second round still topping the league table with 43 points after 17 matches while Prisons are 11th on the table with 21 points accumulated following 17 outings.

Mikel Arteta admits that Arsenal can't repeat the mistakes they made in the summer and must find a way of moving players on before they can add to their squad during the upcoming transfer window.

The Gunners are hopeful of strengthening in January, with Real Madrid star Isco a loan target.

However, failure to get players out the door during the summer left Arteta with such a bloated squad that Mesut Ozil and Sokratis were not even registered to play in the Premier League due to the non-homegrown rules.

That is an issue Arteta admits must now be resolved, with the Spaniard describing the current number of players he has at his disposal as unsustainable.

“We have a large squad, we know that,” said the Gunners boss. “A lot of things that should have happened in the summer, we could not accomplish for different reasons.

“There are some players that are going to go on loan, they are going to leave, and that’s the priority at the moment because we can’t sustain the numbers that we have in certain positions.

“We are looking to do that and then we well see. If we have the right opportunity in the positions that we need some more help, we are working with the club to try to address that.”

Arteta added: “Financially it’s not only us, it’s every single club in the Premier League that’s been hit. We know that this is not going to change in the next year or so and we are going to have to add somehow if we want to improve the team in different ways.

“Financially, some sort of support will decide whether it is with loans or buying players in relation to the opportunities that we have in the market.”

The first player to leave during the transfer window could be Sead Kolasinac, who is close to joining former club Schalke on loan.

Sokratis, Shkodran Mustafi, William Saliba and Calum Chambers could follow, although Mesut Ozil is expected to remain in north London until the end of the season.

When asked about Kolasinac’s imminent exit, Arteta said: “I can’t confirm anything yet, we are working on a couple of things. The window is going to bring a lot of news, some are true, some are not. Whenever we have something to say, we will announce it.

“There are some conversations around a few players and whether we can find some loans because the numbers we have in the squad at the moment are really big. But we cannot confirm anything yet.”

One player who has been heavily linked with a move away is Reiss Nelson, with many speculating that a move has already been lined up given he has not featured for Arsenal since the win against Rapid Vienna on December 3.

Arteta, however, insists that is not the case and that the 21-year-old’s absence has be down to an injury issue.

“Probably it’s my mistake not to clarify the situation and what was happening,” said the Gunners boss. “He’s not been 100% fit, that’s the reason he’s been out and has not been featuring around the squad.

“He had a little niggle, a muscular issue, he’s been in and out of training. It’s a shame because I felt he’s been getting into his [top] performance levels and he had started to have some really good games and was starting to build that momentum.

“This little injury has stepped him back a little bit, but I think this week he’s been much better.”

Former Orlando Pirates marksman James Mothibi foresees the Buccaneers beating Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday in Pretoria.

The league encounter is set for a 15H30 kick-off at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium between two clubs who are arguably the title favourites this season.

Mothibi expects a tough tactical battle in the first half before the game opens up after the interval.

“It’s going to be a physical game but a tactical game. First half will be a bit slow because it will look like they are scared of each other," he was quoted saying by the Citizen.

"But the second half you will see a very good game. But I foresee Pirates winning this game 1-0 or 2-1. It will be a Pirates win without taking anything away from Sundowns, they are a big team.

"Yes, Sundowns have been dominating in the last couple of years, but this time around Pirates won’t allow them to dominate,” added Mothibi.

The former Bucs marksman is adamant he's not being biased towards his former club.

“I’m giving it to Pirates, not because I used to play for Pirates but this is all because of the way the club has been playing," Mothibi explained.

"I’ve always praised Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs, Downs under Pitso Mosimane and Chiefs under Stuart Baxter. But now it’s time for the Pirates coach to dominate the PSL, they are going to win this game.”

Pirates finished third in the league last season and second in two consecutive seasons before that.

The last time they won the title was all the way back in 2012.

However, boosted by their recent MTN8 final win, the Sea Robbers have also made a good start to the league campaign and are seemingly front-runners to end Sundowns' dominance of the league - the Tshwane club has won the title three years in a row now and four times in the last five seasons.

Pirates have had the upper hand over the Brazilians for the last few years - in their previous five matches, the Soweto side has won two and drawn three - it was November of 2017 when Downs last beat Bucs.

Former Nigeria winger Garba Lawal anticipated Odion Ighalo’s lack of playing time at Manchester United following the signing of Edinson Cavani on a free transfer in October.

Ighalo is struggling for opportunities in Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's side in this campaign with just nine minutes of football in the Premier League so far, and he made his Champions League debut against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month without kicking the ball.

The 31-year-old striker is currently enduring a contrasting experience to his impressive start to life at Old Trafford when he scored five goals in 19 appearances across all competitions in the second part of the 2019-20 season.

While Cavani is making his impact in Solskjaer's team, Ighalo has not made Manchester United's Premier League matchday squad since October 17.

“When I saw Cavani coming to Manchester, I knew Ighalo is going to have a problem because you have a striker and you bring in another striker so I don't know how that thing works,” Lawal told Goal.

“He is a fantastic player anytime but at this moment, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is the coach and every coach has his own philosophy. His philosophy when Ighalo joined with the team was good, but when he brought Cavani I wouldn't know where that was coming from.

“I am a coach also and I can't condemn Solskjaer, it doesn't work like that. We don't know what they are planning to do and Cavani is a good player also. He is playing fantastic; he makes an impact whenever he comes in. They are good.”

The ex-Nigeria international initially joined Manchester United on a six-month loan deal from Shanghai Shenhua in January, but it was extended until the end of January 2021.

When quizzed further about Ighalo’s future, Lawal who won the Dutch Cup twice at Roda JC said; “It depends on the player, if he is happy to stay there like that, because Manchester United is one of the biggest clubs in the world and being there is something.

“What I want to tell Ighalo at his age is that if he is happy to stay at Manchester, he should stay. He is not young anymore, he knows better than us and he knows what he wants, so I believe. I don't think he wants to be playing every 90 minutes at his age, it is not possible.”

Sergio Reguilon doubts that he could tempt Sergio Ramos to join him at Tottenham, with the Real Madrid captain expected to sign a new contract, but the 24-year-old full-back is not ruling out a reunion back at Santiago Bernabeu at some stage in the future.

Spurs won the race for a much-coveted signature during the summer transfer window when they put a £28 million ($36m) deal in place for Reguilon.

Jose Mourinho remains in the market for more top talent, as he tries to deliver long-awaited silverware in north London, and another window of opportunity is about to swing open.

It could be that Madrid captain Ramos is targeted by sides outside of Spain, as his deal runs down towards free agency, but Reguilon is not expecting a World Cup winner to make his way to England.

“I think it will all be resolved in the end - both for Madrid and Sergio. From the outside, I cannot envisage Madrid without Ramos,” he told AS.

Asked whether he would like to send a message to the legendary centre-half regarding a possible switch to Tottenham, Reguilon added: “I don't think he'd take much notice!”

While reuniting with Ramos in the Premier League appears unlikely, it could be that Reguilon heads back to Spain in upcoming windows.

He is closing no doors there, saying when asked about a return to his roots: “I don't know. Whenever I am asked about Real Madrid I say that it's a club which gave me everything, it's always been my home.

“Returning one day? That doesn't depend on me. I'm focused on the present, but it would be nice to go back in the future.”

Reguilon admits that he held no talks with Blancos boss Zinedine Zidane before heading for the Bernabeu exits, with that lack of communication said to come as no surprise.

He had been deemed surplus to requirements at Real, with the 2019-20 campaign spent out on loan at Sevilla.

The promising defender was not the only one to fall out of favour, with Gareth Bale another of those who was edged towards the exits by Zidane.

He has also ended up at Tottenham, with the Welshman taking in a season-long loan back in surroundings he knows well, and Reguilon believes a 31-year-old currently short on game time will rediscover his spark once he is back to full fitness and sharpness.

“He's had a few twinges and little by little he is getting used to the rhythm of the Premier League again,” Reguilon said of Bale.

“He's had a difficult year, but we all know the quality he has - he's going to be a massively important player for us.”

It is a common trait that when a foreign player joins a Malaysian team whether it is in the Super League or Premier League, the chances are that the player falls into one of two categories - someone with plenty to prove or someone who is on the tail-end of their career.

Which makes the signing of Ignacio 'Natxo' Insa by Johor Darul Ta'zim (JDT) in the middle of the 2017 season such a outlier in the fact that this was a player who came in at the peak of his powers having just been an integral member of the Levante side that clinched the 2016-17 Segunda Division title.

Insa went on to show that on the pitch as he integrated seamlessly into the JDT side, helping them to pick up the 2017 Malaysia Super League title, displaying the game intelligence and quality in the engine room of the Southern Tigers.

In an interview organised by LaLiga as part of their build-up towards the Villareal and Levante encounter this coming weekend, Insa was put together in a conversation with current Levante player Sergio Postigo and former Villlareal and Spain star, Marcos Senna.

Remembering his former team mate, Postigo suggested that the team felt the absence of Natxo in their return to the top flight of Spanish league football and that Natxo was seen as someone who could have provided a big contribution to the team at the highest level.

"It was a good year in every way, both on a sporting and a human level. Natxo already knows what I thought when he left, he was a very important player for the team. The team noticed it the following season, it was hard for us to maintain the same level. He would have been a very important player once again in that season," said Postigo.

When asked to reminisce about his time with the team, understandably Insa had extremely fond memories of what was a very successful season for him and the club. The experience and education he received during his time in Spanish football has helped JDT greatly, in particular during those AFC Champions League matches.

"I remember my time in Levante, we achieved the goal of promotion with 6 matches to spare, in our stadium with our friend and families all there. One of those days that I will always remember. We had some impressive teammates, both as players and as people, we enjoyed it very much.

"From here I send my greetings to Postigo who continues to show the professionalism that he showed when I was there," said Natxo during the chat.

Thiago Alcantara is "so exciting to watch", according to Michael Owen, who has heaped praise upon the "unbelievable" Liverpool star.

The Reds forked out £20 million ($27m) to bring Thiago to Anfield from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window.

Much was expected of a three-time Champions League winner upon his arrival on Merseyside, but a positive Covid-19 test and a serious injury have restricted his contribution in the first half of the season.

The 29-year-old was sidelined with a knee issue after a 2-2 draw against Everton on October 17, and subsequently missed Liverpool's next 17 fixtures across all competitions.

However, Jurgen Klopp was able to welcome Thiago back into his squad for a midweek trip to St James' Park, with the midfielder making an impressive impact off the bench during Liverpool's 0-0 draw with Newcastle.

Owen was delighted to see the Spaniard return to the fold, and highlighted the qualities which set him apart from his peers after the stalemate on Tyneside.

“It’s just the way he plays. It’s so exciting to watch. He is just different to so many players," the former Liverpool striker told Premier League Productions.

“He doesn’t need to say a word when he is on the pitch. His passes tell everything you need to know.

"When it’s coming to you, that ball is telling you there’s a man on or give it me back or run into the space.. he actually plays the ball with the type of spin, with the type of pace, it’s just unbelievable.” 

Thiago will likely be in contention for a place in Klopp's starting XI when the Reds take on Southampton at St Mary's on Monday.

Liverpool increased their lead at the top of the Premier League table to three points after the draw at Newcastle, but Manchester United can move level on points with them if they win their game in hand against Aston Villa on New Year's Day.

Although Klopp has now seen his team drop points in three of their last five matches, he is not concerned by how the standings are shaping up at this early stage of the season.

"The last thing I’m thinking about is our position in the table at the moment," The German boss told Amazon Prime on Wednesday night. "It’s nice but it doesn’t mean anything.

"We drew tonight and we are still top of the table so that just shows how difficult the season is for everybody."

Swansea City boss Steve Cooper does not want to blame Andre Ayew for his poor finishing in Wednesday's Championship home draw with Reading.

Instead, the Jack Army boss gives credit to opposition goalkeeper Rafael Cabral for being on top of his game.

In their matchweek 22 fixture at Liberty Stadium, Swansea drew a blank as the visitors held their own to ensure a 0-0 stalemate.

Ayew, who led the Jack Army's attack together with Jamal Lowe, was at the thick of affairs, thrice being crucially denied by Cabral.

“We are frustrated because I thought we played really well and we created a lot of chances,” Cooper said, as reported by his club's official website.

"In large parts it was not poor finishing, their goalkeeper has had an excellent night.

“He made a load of good saves, one, in particular, from Andre’s header second half was top draw.

“So, we are frustrated, but I don’t think we can be disappointed as the effort was good, the performance was good and Reading have been a dangerous team this season.

“We limited them to a couple of chances from set-pieces, so there were a lot of really good things. But it is frustrating because we deserved more.”

By Wednesday's result, Swansea, currently second on the league table, missed an opportunity to move to second position.

Ayew has been Swansea's most dangerous man this season - as he was last term - having so far registered eight goals in 21 league appearances involving 20 starts.

His goal haul puts him up as the club's top scorer so far in the present campaign.

Last season, the Ghana captain similarly netted the most goals for Swansea, his 16 goals in 46 matches involving 45 starts inspiring the Welsh-based outfit to the Championship play-off semi-final where they lost to Brentford.

His exploits also saw him rewarded as the club's best player at their end-of-season awards.

His red-hot form in recent times has also been felt at international level where he has scored four times in his last two games for Ghana.

Swansea will be hoping to bounce back to winning ways when they visit Watford on Saturday. 

Kingsley Coman is “the best winger out there at the moment” and could be an option that Liverpool explore if Mohamed Salah decides to move on, says Dietmar Hamann.

The Reds have seen their talismanic Egyptian forward hint at securing a future switch to Spain.

Salah has left the door open for Barcelona or Real Madrid to make an approach, with the 28-year-old ruling nothing out despite working on a contract at Anfield that is due to run until 2023.

If he were to seek out a transfer to La Liga, then the reigning Premier League champions would need to bring in suitable cover.

Hamann believes Jurgen Klopp will already have a list of possible targets drawn up, with it likely that star turns at Bayern Munich will figure prominently on that.

The former Reds and Bayern midfielder told Stadium Astro when quizzed on the Salah speculation: “Two of the best wingers in the world are [Serge] Gnabry, who was at Arsenal, and Kingsley Coman – he is running riot at the moment.

“Would they want to leave Bayern Munich? I don’t think so but you don’t know.

“I don’t know if there is anything in Salah giving an interview or wanting to go to Spain. If he wants to leave, Barcelona and Madrid would be interested.

“If a player wants to leave, you have to let him go. If he has the desire to leave, it’s probably likely he will in the summer.

“There is some fantastic talent in Germany and France. I think they will have a list.”

Hamann added: “For me, the best winger out there at the moment is Kingsley Coman.

“He had injury problems when he came to Munich but he got fit and scored the winner in the Champions League final.

“He’s two-footed, he’s quick, he’s very clever, great decision making and his finishing has improved a lot.

“Coman is the player. Bayern Munich aren’t interested in losing him, he’s happy.

“If Salah were to move, if he wants to go that is quite likely, that will have a knock-on effect. Liverpool will have to buy somebody. Whoever they sign, that team will need to buy a replacement. Things happen quickly.”

Belgian First Division A club Standard Liege have confirmed the appointment of former Senegal player Mbaye Leye as their new manager for the rest of the campaign.

Leye previously worked as assistant coach to former managers Michel Preud'homme and Philippe Montanier in the Reds’ set-up from June 2019 to December 2020.

The ex-Senegal international spent the majority of his playing career in Belgium which includes two years in Liege between 2010 and 2012 before he retired at Royal Mouscron in 2019.

Standard Liege are struggling in the First Division A this season, and they find themselves 11th in the league table with an eight-game winless streak.

They are one of the most successful clubs in Belgium with 10 First Division A titles and eight Belgian Cups, but they are yet to win the league since 2009.

“Standard Liege and our former player and assistant coach Mbaye Leye reached an agreement: the 38-year-old Senegalese became the head coach of our team to the end of the 2020-2021 season,” the club statement read.

“He will be assisted by Patrick Asselman, our former player and current video analyst, who will combine this function with that of assistant coach.

“Our club wishes Mbaye Leye a safe return and the best in his new functions.”

Leye is the latest African legend to take up managerial duties in Europe and he joins a host of others who followed a similar path after their playing career like Nigeria's Ndubuisi Egbo who guided KF Tirana to win the Albanian top-flight crown last season. 

Angola's Lito Vidigal is another notable figure but he was sacked by Maritimo earlier this month for their poor run in the Portuguese Primeira Liga.