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“We play night games in domestic cricket. It got me used to such conditions,” says Haider after his impressive spell of 3 for 7 in series-decider

Mohammad Isam22-May-2025Haider Ali turned to an old-school method to prepare for Sharjah’s infamous dew: dipping the cricket ball in a bucket of water and practising with it. The tactic worked like a charm on Wednesday night as the left-arm spinner starred with figures of 3 for 7, helping UAE seal a historic 2-1 T20I series victory against Bangladesh.Dew, a well-known factor in night games in the UAE, hadn’t shown up in the first two T20Is. But it arrived early in the third and deciding match. Unlike many bowlers on both sides who struggled for grip and control, Haider was ready. He said that the experience of having played in Sharjah under lights helped him.”There was dew from the first over,” Haider said after the game. “It usually sets in a little later in the game. But we were prepared for it. We have played in Sharjah a lot. I practice a lot with the wet ball. You have to get used to bowling with the wet ball if you want to perform here. You have to dunk the ball in a bucket of water and then bowl with it. We play night games in domestic cricket. It got me used to such conditions.”Related

• Five reasons Bangladesh couldn't pass the UAE test

• Haider and Sharafu lead UAE to historic series win against Bangladesh

• Haider's miserly spell and a record chase in UAE's series win

Making his T20I debut in this series, Haider had gone wicketless in the first two matches. But in the decider, he delivered right from the start. He dismissed batters Litton Das and Towhid Hridoy within his first three balls, then removed Mahedi Hasan in his next over, reducing Bangladesh to 49 for 4.His spell – tight, aggressive, and accurate – set the tone for UAE’s dominance with the ball. Haider credited his mindset shift for the turnaround.”The series was level at one-all. I saw in the previous games that if I was being a little defensive with the ball, runs were leaking from the other end,” he said. “After talking to the coaching staff, I decided that I will be aggressive in my bowling in this game. There was a lot of dew around, so the pitch had softened, which actually helped me. I could put together a good spell. The team needed my contribution.”We decided to stick to the plan we made before the game. The plan was obviously to win the game at any cost. We decided that I will bowl aggressively, like I do in the ILT20 or domestic cricket. I wank to thank all those people who have supported me in the last 12 months, especially my domestic teams who have helped me practice on these wickets.”.Haider was especially proud of dismissing Litton, whom he called “a big wicket.””He has performed all over the world,” Haider said. “He was also my debut wicket. He can build partnerships and take the game away from you. Waseem bhai and I decided to attack him. We thought, ‘we shouldn’t be bowling defensive lines to him. If we can get him out early, we can deprive them of an early big partnership’.”Bangladesh recovered from 84 for 8 to post a competitive 162 for 9, but UAE chased it down, thanks to an unbeaten 68 from No. 3 Alishan Sharafu.That apart, the 2-1 series win is a huge boost for UAE, as they head into a crucial year, having qualified for the Asia Cup.”The UAE cricket board and our management supported the players a lot,” Haider said. “I would like to thank them for the series victory. Bangladesh is a Test-playing nation, but UAE played really well in this series. The victory will boost the players, and it will boost our confidence in tournaments like the Asia Cup.”

Players from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland could all contribute to men’s and women’s campaigns

ESPNcricinfo staff28-May-2025A Great Britain (GB) team – comprising men’s and women’s players from England, Scotland and potentially Northern Ireland – is one step closer to being ratified by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Scotland, ahead of cricket’s return to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.A new entity, GB Cricket, is being formulated for what would be the men’s team’s de facto defence of a title they last won in Paris in 1900, in cricket’s last appearance at the Olympics.The activities of GB Cricket are to be overseen by a board with both executive and non-executive representatives from the ECB and Cricket Scotland. An MOU will also be put in place with Cricket Ireland to give Northern Irish players an opportunity to compete at the Olympics, too.Given that Cricket Ireland is a body that represents both Northern Ireland and the Republic, it is unlikely that its players would seek qualification for GB Cricket.However, Paul Stirling, Ireland’s white-ball captain, is among a core of Northern Ireland-based players, including Mark Adair, Andy McBrine, and the Ireland women’s wicketkeeper Amy Hunter, who could be eligible for the tournament.GB Cricket is expected to be officially constituted in the coming months, and it would then need to be officially recognised by the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the British Olympic Association (BOA) before becoming a full member of the National Olympic Committee (NOC). According to an ECB spokesperson, an agreement in principle with the ICC is already in place.The qualification process has yet to be established for what is expected to be a six-team tournament. However, it has already been agreed that England’s men’s and women’s teams would be the qualification vehicle for Team GB, with the Scotland and Northern Ireland players available thereafter.It’s a further consideration for England’s new white-ball captain, Harry Brook, whose reboot of the team’s fortunes is set to begin with the first ODI against West Indies at Edgbaston on Thursday.”That would be pretty cool to be able to play in the Olympics and get an Olympic gold medal,” Brook said. “But it’s so far away, it’s miles away yet. I haven’t even thought about that yet.”

Deadline day is looming and there are a number of big stars who need a move in order to kick-start their careers

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  1Kurt Zouma (Chelsea)

  Things have gone awry for centre-back Kurt Zouma at Chelsea, but the story could have been so different for the 23-year-old France international had he not suffered a serious knee injury. He had found a regular place in the starting XI under Guus Hiddink but surgery kept him out for six months and a loan move was inevitable thereafter. He played 37 times for Stoke last season but breaking back into the Blues’ first team under the technical Maurizio Sarri is a distant prospect for a player who still has much to give.

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  2Danny Welbeck (Arsenal)

  With a return of 15 league goals in 80 league appearances, attacker Danny Welbeck does not boast the type of ratio that a club that still professes to have title aspirations like Arsenal can afford to have in their roster. The injury-prone striker failed to turn out in any of the Gunners' ICC fixtures and head coach Unai Emery is happy to see him leave. Club legend Ray Parlour says the player could represent a bargain at £15 million ($20m).

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  3Paul Pogba (Manchester United)

  During the summer, we finally got a glimpse of why Manchester United signed Paul Pogba for £89.3 million. The 25-year-old midfielder was a dominant presence alongside N’Golo Kante at the heart of the France side that won the World Cup. Jose Mourinho appears unwilling or unable to get similar performances from the ex-Juventus player, who is being linked with a return to Turin or a transfer to Barcelona. A move may allow him to realise his potential on a more permanent basis in an environment in which he is not so stifled.

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  4Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

  Anthony Martial was on the periphery of things at Manchester United before a spat with manager Jose Mourinho this summer surely put an end to his career at Old Trafford. His inability to nail down a regular place under the Portuguese likely cost him his chance to be part of France’s World Cup squad, while a prolonged break to be with his new-born child against Mourinho’s orders during the club’s pre-season US tour seems to have severed relations entirely. A new start is required.

A look at the best festive outfits that have been produced for fans to wear, featuring Manchester United, Arsenal, Real Madrid and even Jurgen Klopp

Over the years, flamboyant Christmas jumpers have made a comeback, and it is little surprise that football clubs have been eager to jump on the bandwagon.

Some have offered relatively modest efforts but many have pushed the boat out to give their fans the type of unique festive apparel that they crave.

Of course, most supporters would never be seen wearing such eccentric clothing at any other time of the year, but at Christmas is almost seems right.

The tradition of the Christmas jumper – in Europe at least – is most alive and kicking in the UK, where there is a greater need for thick garments than in many areas of western continental Europe.

The Premier League marketing machine was quick to spot a gap in the market and most big clubs have produced sweaters for their fans to sport around the packed festive schedule.

As such, Goal has taken a look at some of the best Christmas jumpers available this year from all around the globe.

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  Chelsea

  This season it has been Chelsea who have been most prolific in terms of Christmas jumper production, producing three different designs.

  Perhaps the most unique of these is an image of Santa and his reindeer over the London skyline.

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  Chelsea

  One of their other designs allows the wearer to appear with their head on an elf's body, with the tag 'Chelsea elfie' emblazoned below.

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  Liverpool

  Liverpool's first effort is rather modest, sporting the club badge on the heart of an otherwise traditional Christmas jumper.

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  Liverpool

  The Reds have surely missed a trick with 'Yule Never Walk Alone' on this second effort.

Goal rounds up teams who share their stadiums, from a handful of clubs in Italy to those who also share their home with non-football sides

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  AC Milan & Inter | San Siro

  The San Siro in Milan is arguably the most famous shared stadium. It is the home of AC Milan and Inter and has a capacity of 80,018, making it one of the biggest stadiums in both Italy and Europe.

  The stadium was initially named after former Inter player Giuseppe Meazza in the San Siro district of Milan. The derby between the two Milan-based sides – dubbed the Derby della Madonnina – is one of the most passionate and prominent in European football.

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  Lazio & AS Roma | Stadio Olimpico

  Shared stadiums in Italy are plentiful compared to other European countries.

  Lazio and Roma both call the Stadio Olympico in Rome their home, the 72,698-capacity venue also hosting events such as the Coppa Italia final, the 1990 World Cup final and several European Cup/ Champions League finals. The Stadio Olimpico opened its doors in 1937, and went under extensive renovation for Italia ’90.

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  Ajax & Netherlands | Johan Cruyff Arena

  Eredivisie side Ajax are housed at the Johan Cruyff Arena, which was previously named the Amsterdam ArenA until the end of the 2018-19 season to honour the iconic Dutch footballer.

  Ajax have been at the Johan Cruyff Arena since 1996, with the venue also being used as the home of most of the Dutch national team’s matches. With a capacity of 54,990, it is the largest venue in the country, and has also hosted music concerts and other high-profile sporting events.

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  Birmingham City & Coventry City | St Andrew's

  St. Andrews in Bordesley, England has been the home stadium of Birmingham since 1906, but the long-standing tenants have had to make do with sharing their ground – at least temporarily – with West Midlands neighbours Coventry City.

  Due to an inability for the club to agree terms with the owners of former ground Ricoh Arena, Coventry had been made to agree a ground-sharing agreement with Birmingham City for the 2019-20 season, to the disappointment of their supporters. Coventry, for the record, is located at a 38-mile round trip from St. Andrew’s stadium.

GOAL selects the greatest players produced at one of the world's most famous talent factories

Bayern Munich are the dominant club in Germany and a true European giant.

They are the most successful club in Germany, winning a record 32 Bundesliga titles and 20 DFB-Pokal trophies. Such is their dominance that they've won 10 Bundesliga titles in a row since 2013.

Their exploits do not stop with Germany. They were crowned champions of Europe six times (three times in the Champions League era), won the Europa League (UEFA Cup back then) and the Cup Winners' Cup (now defunct) once each.

This success has been built upon a strong academy that has churned out plenty of talented players over the years.

The club was established in 1900 and two years later, the academy and the junior teams were put together. The ability of the academy to attract and nurture top-class players has been a cornerstone of Bayern's success over the years.

Indeed, some big names have graduated from the Bayern academy, as GOAL outlines below…

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  Franz Beckenbauer

  Franz Beckenbauer was probably the greatest player to have graduated from the academy of Bayern Munich, and is considered among the best footballers of all time.

  Nicknamed "Der Kaiser" (the emperor) for his leadership skills and elegant style of play, the 1972 Ballon d'Or winner started out as a midfielder before transitioning to defence. In fact, he played as a libero (sweeper) most of the time and is credited with defining that role in the '60s and '70s.

  Having spent five years in Bayern's youth teams, Beckenbauer made his professional debut for the in 1964 and spent 13 long years at the club, making more than 580 appearances. He helped the club win four Bundesliga titles and three back-to-back European Cups from 1974 to 1976.

  Of course, his exploits with Germany is legendary. He led the to the World Cup title in 1974, after helping them win the European Championship two years earlier. He made more than 100 appearances for them.

  The two-time World Cup winner built on his legacy even after his playing career. He coached Germany to the World Cup title in 1990 – his official title was Team Chef because of a lack of qualifications – becoming only the second man after Mario Zagallo to win the World Cup as a player and a coach.

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  Sepp Maier

  Nicknamed (the cat from Anzing) because of his fast reflexes and incredible agility, Sepp Maier is one of the greatest goalkeepers Germany has ever produced. A one club man, Maier joined the Bayern Munich academy in 1959 and made his senior debut in 1962. He would go on to make 700 appearances for Bayern, a club record, in a distinguished career that spanned 18 years.

  He won four league titles and three European Cups apart from a host of other silverware with Bayern. Maier was an integral part of the German side that won the European Championship in 1972 and the World Cup in 1974.

  A three-time German Footballer of the Year who was famous for wearing very long shorts, Maier spent a long time coaching at Bayern after he retired, also acting as a coach for the national team until an argument with then coach Jurgen Klinsmann in 2004.

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  Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck

  Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck (wearing No. 4 in the picture) was a world class centre-back, and another who spent his entire career at Bayern after joining the academy as a 14-year-old in 1962.

  He made his senior debut in 1966 and went on to amass more than 400 appearances for the club, winning the Bundesliga six times and the European Cup thrice. He notably scored the equaliser in the European Cup final of 1974 against Atletico Madrid with a long-range screamer. Bayern would then win the replay 4-0.

  He was also part of the Germany team that won the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup.

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  Paul Breitner

  A marauding left-back who transformed into one of the best midfielders in the world, Paul Breitner was a maverick in the 1970s and 80s. He joined Bayern Munich only in 1970, at the age of 19, but had to wait till 1971 to establish himself in the first team, as he had to undergo compulsory military service.

  But once he did, there was no turning back. With a distinctive hairstyle and a beard to match, Breitner quickly became a star player. He had two stints with Bayern, from 1970-74 and from 1978-83. In between he played three seasons at Real Madrid (1974-77) and one at Eintracht Braunschweig (1977-78).

  He helped Bayern win five league titles and a European Cup. With Germany, he won the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup. He scored the equaliser for Germany in the 1974 World Cup final against Netherlands before Gerd Muller nabbed the winner.

Darwin Nunez was the difference-maker as Jurgen Klopp's side got back to winning ways in the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Anfield has itself a new hero to worship, he wears a ponytail and he comes from Uruguay.

There may not be a lot that is predictable or orthodox about Darwin Nunez, but boy can he be effective. A player to excite, to get a crowd on its feet and a defence on its back foot.

A right old handful, as they say.

Nunez, belatedly, is starting to settle at Liverpool after his summer move from Benfica, and he took another big step forward on Tuesday night, emerging from the bench to score one goal and create another as Jurgen Klopp’s side finished the Champions League group stage with a morale-boosting 2-0 win over Napoli.

It wasn’t quite enough to secure top spot in Group A, but it was a much-needed result for Klopp after the misery of Saturday’s defeat here to Leeds United. European football, it seems, is their comfort blanket this season.

Liverpool left it late to secure this win, with Mohamed Salah striking five minutes from time to break the deadlock, before Nunez, whose header had led to the opener, tapped in a second with the last kick of the night.

The £64 million ($73m) man now has five goals in his last seven appearances, three in three in the Champions League, and the manner in which the Kop sang his name at the final whistle suggests he is already well on his way to becoming a firm favourite with his new club.

Here, he was the definition of an impact substitute.

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  The Winners

  Darwin Nunez:

  The Uruguayan may have had a wasteful evening here on Saturday, but he only needed 20-odd minutes to make his mark this time around.

  Emerging from the bench to replace Curtis Jones, Nunez, as is his way, was straight into the thick of the action. There are no half-measures with the Uruguayan, whose endeavour, attitude and all-action style has already endeared him to the Anfield faithful.

  He ensured a dull game would have a colourful finale. It was his header, spilled by Napoli keeper Alex Meret, which allowed Salah to force home the opener, five minutes from the end of the 90. Soon after, he looked to have set the Egyptian up for another in front of the Kop, only for Leo Ostigard to make a goal-saving intervention.

  No worries, however. Nunez would have the last say, smashing home the easiest goal of his career after Meret had fumbled another header, this time from Virgil van Dijk.

  The offside flag curtailed his initial celebrations, but after a lengthy VAR check the goal was given, his seventh in a red shirt.

  'Nunez, Nunez, Nunez!' sang the Kop. They love him already. And the best is yet to come.

  Ibrahima Konate:

  It takes a lot to keep Napoli quiet, but Liverpool managed it, becoming the first side to beat the Serie A leaders this season, and only the second to stop Luciano Spalletti's brilliant side from scoring.

  The Reds needed a close VAR call to preserve their clean sheet, with Ostigard's header, early in the second half, ruled out for offside. But more important was the performance of Konate alongside Van Dijk, with the Frenchman outstanding on only his second start of the campaign.

  After a nervy start, Konate got himself on the front foot and had Anfield voicing its appreciation, stepping in to win the ball, using his pace and strength to cover off the counter-attack and at one point driving, Joel Matip style, into midfield to get his side moving.

  Bad news for Joe Gomez, perhaps, who will struggle to gain his place back for Sunday's trip to Tottenham, but good news, most definitely, for Klopp, who saw his side look a whole lot more secure, and against top-class opposition too.

  Youth:

  The present may be rather troubling for Liverpool, given their domestic struggles, but we at least saw a glimpse of the future here, and it doesn't look bad at all.

  The Reds finished with six players aged 23 or under on the field, four of whom are teenagers.

  Nunez (23) grabbed the headlines and Konate (23) was probably the player of the match otherwise, but the fact that Calvin Ramsay (19) could finally make his senior debut was another bonus, while the sight of Stefan Bajcetic getting a few more minutes tells you just how much Klopp and his stiff think of the 17-year-old midfielder.

  Bajcetic was alongside Harvey Elliott and Fabio Carvalho, relative veterans at 19, by the end and, like Ramsay, did not look in any way fazed by the stage, the opposition or the opportunity.

  With a Carabao Cup tie here against Derby to come next week, further opportunities should soon present themselves for these gifted young talents. Let's see if they can take them, and make Klopp's life a whole lot easier by doing so.

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  The Losers

  Alex Meret:

  This was not a night for Napoli's goalkeeper to look back on with any great fondness.

  Two headers, two fumbles, two Liverpool goals, converted from pretty much on the goal-line.

  Meret, in fairness, did what was asked of him for 85 minutes, but then he failed to hold Nunez's effort, allowing Salah to force the ball home for the opener. That's 41 European goals for Liverpool for the Egyptian, who moves level with Steven Gerrard at the top of that particular chart.

  Then, Meret let another header, this time from Van Dijk, slip from his grasp. Nunez gobbled it up, substitute Piotr Zielinski played the Uruguayan onside and Liverpool had a second goal to celebrate, right on full time.

  Who'd be a keeper, eh?

  4-4-2:

  "It was never off the table," said Jurgen Klopp as he discussed the return of his tried-and-trusted 4-3-3 system.

  The Liverpool boss has been searching for answers recently, experimenting at various points with a 4-4-2 and a diamond in midfield, but here he went back to what he knew, and his side seemed to benefit.

  It wasn't perfect – Fabinho's form is a major issue, and Klopp is still not seeing the best of Trent Alexander-Arnold – but Curtis Jones put in a good shift on the left of the front three, and with Roberto Firmino in his favoured False Nine role, Liverpool were less open and far more difficult to play against than in recent weeks.

  The caveat, of course, is that Napoli didn't need to go hell for leather against them, and that the Reds did not create a great deal from open play, but beggars can't be choosers right now. Liverpool need results, momentum and confidence, and the three are inextricably linked.

  We can expect, then, for 4-3-3 to make a return. "It's the system we played most often and which is familiar to us when we played well," Klopp added. We should most definitely be seeing it at Spurs.

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  Liverpool Ratings: Defence

  Alisson Becker (7/10):

  Not a great deal to do, but showed good hands and concentration when called upon. One glorious kick created a chance for Nunez and Salah in stoppage time.

  Trent Alexander-Arnold (6/10):

  Had his hands full with the dangerous Kvaratskhelia, and didn't always come off best. Not as big a threat going forward as he can be.

  Ibrahima Konate (8/10):

  An impressive return to the starting XI for the Frenchman, whose physicality and ability to step into midfield was a big help against a lively, confident side.

  Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

  Won his battle with Osimhen and created Liverpool's second goal with a header.

  Kostas Tsimikas (8/10):

  His set-piece delivery led to both goals, and he had a good game besides that, full of energy and positivity. More touches than any other Liverpool player.

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  Midfield

  Fabinho (6/10):

  Tried to be more decisive and purposeful, and started well before struggling as the second half wore on. Still looks leggy.

  James Milner (6/10):

  Put himself about, snapping into challenges and popping up regularly in the final third. Suffered a head injury before succumbing early in the second half to a different issue.

  Thiago Alcantara (7/10):

  Stung Meret's palms in the first half. Most of Liverpool's good stuff came from him and he kept the ball better than anyone in red.

Arsenal put on a performance worthy of potential champions of England as they cruised to a 3-0 win over Fulham at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

Pressure? What pressure? If Arsenal are being made to feel uncomfortable by the presence of Manchester City behind them in the Premier League, then they are certainly not showing it.

Mikel Arteta’s side would have seen City close the gap at the top to just two points with their win at Crystal Palace on Saturday night, but they responded as if they didn’t have a care in the world as they brushed Fulham aside 3-0 at Craven Cottage on Sunday.

The league leaders were superb in the first half, scoring through Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard to kill the game as a contest before the interval.

And they cruised through the second half to make it five successive wins in the league, a run that has seen them score 15 goals in the process.

It was a near-perfect afternoon for the visitors, who were even able to welcome star striker Gabriel Jesus back from injury in the second half.

Jesus could have given the day the perfect ending soon after coming on, but he saw his effort saved by Bernd Leno after he was played through by Fabio Vieira. 

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Craven Cottage…

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  WINNER: Leandro Trossard

  It’s nothing that hasn’t been said before, but Arsenal’s move to bring in Trossard in January is proving to be a masterstroke.

  The Belgian international has slotted in seamlessly since arriving from Brighton and continues to impress with every showing.

  Having missed the midweek trip to Sporting Lisbon in the Europa League due to a groin injury, Trossard returned to the starting XI at Craven Cottage and caused Fulham all sorts of problems.

  His movement is exceptional and his ability to play with either foot makes him so difficult to play against as a defender, as was highlighted when he set up Gabriel Martinelli to make it 2-0.

  That was Trossard’s second of three assists during the first half, having also set up Gabriel Magalhaes for the opener and Martin Odegaard for the third. 

  He is now the first player in Premier League history to complete a hat-trick of assists away from home in the first half of a game.

  That treble has now seen Trossard move on to five assists and one goal in his first nine Arsenal appearances. He’s been an exceptional piece of January business by the league leaders.

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  LOSER: Antonee Robinson

  This was a tough afternoon for the Fulham full-back.

  Robinson really struggled, especially in the first half and he even had his own fans on his back as a result.

  Arsenal’s movement caused him all sorts of problems and his failure to even challenge Martinelli for the second goal when the Arsenal forward rose to head home Trossard’s cross was poor.

  It was a difficult game for all of the Fulham defenders, such was Arsenal's dominance, but Robinson in particular really struggled to live with the visitors.

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  WINNER: Martin Odegaard

  Arsenal’s captain has been suffering with illness and could easily have sat out this game.

  But he wanted to play having had to miss the Europa League clash at Sporting on Thursday night, something that says a lot about Odegaard and his leadership skills. 

  And the Gunners skipper came in and produced another excellent performance, pulling the strings as the visitors ripped Fulham to shreds at times.

  His goal was expertly taken and takes his tally to 10 Premier League goals for the season.

  With Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka already into double figures, Arsenal now have three players who have scored 10 or more league goals since the start of the campaign. Paris Saint Germain are the only other team in Europe’s top five leagues who can say that.

  The one question mark people had over Odegaard centred around whether he scored enough goals in that No.10 role. That is a question the Norway international had answered emphatically this season.

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  LOSER: Pep Guardiola

  After watching his side grind out a hard earned win at Crystal Palace on Saturday night, Guardiola would have been looking at this fixture and hoping Fulham would provide Arsenal with a very stern test.

  So the Manchester City boss will have been left massively disappointed by the way Arsenal cruised through the contest at Craven Cottage to immediately restore their five-point advantage at the top of the Premier League.

  There is still plenty of time left in the title race but these are the type of performances that will leave Guardiola in no doubt that his team face a real fight in their attempts to retain their trophy.

The Netherlands international is one of a host of summer transfer targets for the Reds, and has the profile and skillset to thrive at Anfield

If you’re a midfielder, aged 26 or under and have played some kind of top-flight European football in the past two years, there’s a fair chance you’ll be linked to Liverpool in the coming weeks, if you haven't already.

The list of players being touted for a summer move to Anfield is getting longer by the day, it seems. You can cross Jude Bellingham off it, for now at least, but in Mason Mount, Matheus Nunes, Conor Gallagher, Alexis Mac Allister, Moises Caicedo, Teun Koopmeiners, Jesper Lindstrom, Youri Tielemans, Declan Rice, Jacob Ramsey, Nicolo Barella, Gavi, Ruben Neves and Gabri Veiga there are plenty of other names to look out for. And that’s just on Page One.

Ryan Gravenberch is the latest to emerge as a target, with the Reds exploring the possibility of a deal for the Bayern Munich man. A fee of just £25 million ($31m) has even been touted for the 20-year-old, who is understood to be receptive to the idea of a move to Merseyside.

A smart signing, potentially, for a club which needs a few of those at the moment. Liverpool’s need is great after a miserable season on the pitch, and with several members of Jurgen Klopp’s squad either leaving, declining or both, they need both quality and quantity in the summer window.

So could Gravenberch fit the bill? GOAL takes a look at the situation…

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  On the radar

  Liverpool’s interest in Gravenberch is long-standing, dating back to his days as an outstanding youth product with Ajax.

  There, he was compared with the likes of Frank Rijkaard, a mixture of physicality, drive and technical quality. His coach at Under-15 level, Brian Tevreden, has also likened him to Paul Pogba. In 2018, he became the youngest debutant in Ajax’s history, beating the record set by the great Clarence Seedorf.

  Liverpool came across Gravenberch regularly when playing in youth tournaments, and ran into him at senior level when they were drawn in the same Champions League group as Ajax in the 2020-21 season.

  The Reds won both meetings 1-0, but Gravenberch impressed, particularly in Amsterdam as he competed manfully with a Liverpool midfield containing James Milner, Curtis Jones and countryman Gini Wijnaldum.

  “One to watch,” was the verdict after that contest, and it looks as though the Reds have been true to their word.

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  Misery in Munich

  Gravenberch was one of a host of players to leave Ajax last summer, following the likes of Lisandro Martinez, Antony, Sebastian Haller, Noussair Mazraoui, Perr Schuurs and Niclolas Tagliafico, as well as manager Erik ten Hag, out of the door.

  A £20m ($25m) switch to Bayern looked, on the face of it, like it could be the perfect move, with Gravenberch expected to continue his development apace in Bavaria.

  “He is one of the biggest talents in Europe,” Bayern director of sport Hasan Salihamidzic said at the time. “We’re confident that we’ll enjoy lots of success with him.”

  That hasn’t happened, though. Gravenberch’s first season in Munich has been underwhelming, to say the least. He has started only one Bundesliga game, and only four in all competitions. His last start came on November 1 in a Champions League dead rubber against Inter, and his only goal came in August, in a 5-0 cup win against third-tier outfit Viktoria Koln.

  As far back as September, Gravenberch was talking about his lack of playing time, and his frustration has only grown as the season has gone on. Bayern have been far from vintage this term – their performances were enough to get Julian Nagelsmann the sack, remember – but there have still been few opportunities for Gravenberch, with Jamal Musiala, Leon Goretzka and Joshua Kimmich all preferred.

  Nagelsmann’s replacement, Thomas Tuchel, has spoken well of the youngster. “He trains well,” the former Chelsea boss said recently. “He’s a candidate to start.”

  Despite this, though, it is understood that Gravenberch is leaning towards the idea of another fresh start this summer, and that the player’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, has already begun liaising with potential buyers, of which there are a few.

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  Not for sale?

  Despite this, the word from Bayern is that they are not looking to sell the player this summer, that Tuchel is a fan and that Gravenberch is very much part of the future. 

  They are, though, about to announce the signing of another midfielder, Konrad Laimer, from RB Leipzig, meaning opportunities for Gravenberch are likely to be even more limited next season. 

  Liverpool themselves looked at Laimer last summer, but were made aware early on that the Austrian was bound for Munich. Whether that can now help them land Gravenberch, however, remains to be seen. 

  Certainly, the reported £25m ($31m) price tag seems low, even allowing for the player’s low-key season. Bayern, after all, paid an initial £16m ($20m) only a year ago, with an extra £4.4m ($5.5m) in add-ons, so a mark-up of around £5m ($6.2m) for a player who only turns 21 in May feels a little on the skinny side, especially with Ajax having retained a sell-on clause believed to be worth around 7.5 percent of any future profit.

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  Liverpool meetings

  Liverpool’s interest, though, is genuine. With Bellingham off the agenda, the Reds are looking to make at least three, and probably four, key signings this summer, with strengthening their midfield ranks very much top of the agenda.

  The club have not denied a recent report in the that a representative met with Gravenberch’s father, also called Ryan, in Amsterdam earlier this month to discuss a potential deal, although it is understood that the person in question was not sporting director Julian Ward.

  It has also not gone unnoticed that Jose Enrique, the former Liverpool defender turned pundit, described Gravenberch as “a done deal” recently, claiming inside knowledge courtesy of his agent.

  Arsenal are also said to be monitoring Gravenberch’s situation, with the Gunners expected to be in the market for at least one midfielder this summer, while Manchester United are another club who have previously been keen, and have the potential lure of his former Ajax boss Ten Hag too, of course.

  Liverpool, Klopp has already stated, are ready to spend money this summer, and it is expected that they will do so early in the window too. That is one of the reasons they have withdrawn from the Bellingham race, so as not to waste time fighting for a player who may or may not choose Anfield as his destination.

  Getting deals done early has always been important to Klopp, who likes to have a full pre-season to work with players and teach them his team's demands. That will be important again this summer, perhaps more than ever.

Giovanni Reyna is a special talent who plays for Borussia Dortmund, and here are a few facts you need to know about him.

Giovanni Reyna is considered one of the USMNT's most talented players alongside Captain America, Christian Pulisic. The 20-year-old is still making headways on the global scene while also making the USMNT squad regularly.

Having already made his World Cup debut for his nation in 2022, the midfielder will be hoping to play a greater role in the future for his national team as well.

GOAL takes you through 13 fun facts about the USMNT forward.

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  Football runs in his blood

  Reyna comes from a family that has football coursing through its veins. Both of his parents are former soccer players who played for the United States men's and women's national teams. His father played almost exclusively in Germany and the UK.

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• His younger brother plays with Austin II

  He has a younger brother, Josh, who is following in his elder brother's footsteps. Josh plays for Austin FC's youth team in MLS Next Pro. His father is also involved with Austin FC as their Technical Director.

• Reyna was born in England

  The midfielder was born in Sunderland in England. His family had settled in the Tyne and Wear port city as his father, Claudio, played for Sunderland.

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• Personal tragedy growing up

  Gio's older brother Jack, tragically died when he was just 13 after a two-year battle with glioblastoma. This aggressive and extremely rare brain tumour usually affects men in their 60s and 70s. Gio was just nine years old when Jack passed away, and on the evening following his death, the now 20-year-old thought his dreams of being a soccer player were over after losing his brother and mentor.

  "I'm never going to be a good soccer player now because my big brother taught me everything," Gio told his mother after Jack's untimely death, according to an interview with Sports Illustrated.