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Liverpool have found themselves really struggling to maintain their high standards this season, and it is clear the once successful squad is starting to turn stale with a refresh urgently needed this summer.

The Reds have found themselves without a chance of collecting another trophy this season and are currently seven points adrift from the fourth Champions League spot inside the Premier League top four with just 12 remaining fixtures to close the gap.

Indeed, there is no doubt that the powerbrokers at Anfield will be working hard to find fresh perspectives who can join the squad in the summer with a recruitment drive of youthful players expected as Jude Bellingham and Mason Mount have both been linked on numerous occasions with a move to Merseyside.

However, the supporters of the club will be under no illusion that their frugal American owners will be splashing the cash like their top-flight rivals when the transfer window opens, but will expect to see drastic improvements and effort put into bringing success back to Anfield sooner rather than later.

As a result, whilst the focus may be on the players Jurgen Klopp could bring in to spark the next generation of success, the German coach could unleash another player from the fantastic academy set-up at Kirkby.

One player who has been a stand-out performer in the Merseysiders' youth teams is Melkamu Frauendorf, a player who is showing signs that he could be the next Harvey Elliott.

Who is Melkamu Frauendorf?

The young talent joined Liverpool from Hoffenheim back in 2020 on a scholarship with the academy after capturing the attention of the club's scouts over in Germany and just one year later signed his first professional contract after impressing with the U18s in his first season.

Since then, Frauendorf has had no trouble making his presence known in the youth set-up and was even seen training with the first team in Dubai during the World Cup break back in November last year.

The Germany U19 international has tallied up 86 appearances, 19 goals and 14 assists since his arrival – with two of those appearances in the senior team when Klopp gave the youngster his FA Cup debut against Shrewsbury Town in January 2022.

Over his two appearances this season in the Football League Trophy, the young midfielder has registered one assist and won the majority of his duels (53%), as well as averaging two tackles, two key passes, one shot on target and four duels won per game.

Frauendorf has also earned high praise for his talents to go alongside his impressive output, with his former Hoffenheim coach Danny Galm claiming:

"Mel is a very flexible player. He is straightforward with a good technique and very, very good endurance.

"For me, he was a very important player, who often initiated decisive moments with his dynamic and straight dribbling.

"I’m not a fan of comparing players to others but Mel is a special player. He is fast and has good endurance, and he wants to learn, but remains creative."

Mostly deployed as an attacking midfielder, the 19-year-old rising star has all the attributes to become Klopp's next Elliott as he is capable of being part of a midfield system but is also fearless when it comes to breaking the lines to attack and ultimately score goals, just like his senior Liverpool positional peer.

With that being said, it is clear that Frauendorf has a bright future ahead of him and could be exactly what Klopp needs to bolster the depth in his first-team midfield personnel next season.

West Ham United have been tipped to appoint Middlesbrough manager Michael Carrick as David Moyes is now under severe pressure following the weekend’s 4-0 defeat to Brighton and Hove Albion.

What’s the latest on Michael Carrick to West Ham United?

That’s according to former Premier League footballer Jamie O’Hara, who told talkSPORT (05/03/2022, 17:00) that the club should be looking at hiring Carrick if they decide to sack Moyes in the coming weeks.

“Carrick is absolutely flying at Middlesbrough. They’re third in the table,” said O’Hara. “Carrick at West Ham ain’t a bad shout, you know.”

Would Carrick be a good appointment at West Ham?

Moyes has endured a woeful run of form since Christmas, winning just twice in the league and the feel-good factor that had been built following the success from last season has disappeared within eight months.

Could he be the man to maintain their Premier League status? Time will tell, but with the likes of Steve Cooper and Mauricio Pochettino being recently linked with the job, it appears his time is coming to an end.

Carrick could be a surprise option, however, his previous knowledge of the club – playing over 150 games for them – may prove to be vital.

The Englishman is currently sparkling in his first managerial role at Boro, leading them to third place in the Championship table and the chance to secure top-flight football for the first time since 2016/2017.

He has managed 23 games so far, winning 16 and losing just five, while the 41-year-old has averaged 2.17 points per game and this record has certainly garnered attention.

West Ham certainly have a squad that is good enough to remain in the top flight, yet being good on paper doesn’t always mean excelling on the pitch and Moyes has failed to generate any excitement this term.

Carrick has an excellent role at the moment, with the chance to achieve promotion at the first time of asking and his team plays wonderful attacking football. Indeed in his 23 matches in charge, Boro have scored 43 goals.

For context, West Ham have scored just 23 goals in the league. Could Carrick bring his attacking philosophy to West Ham and secure their league status? It would be a risky move but with Moyes putting the club in more danger with every passing performance, it might be a risk the club are willing to take.

Tottenham Hotspur left-back Ryan Sessegnon is set for a six-week injury layoff due to a hamstring injury, according to Football London.

The Lowdown: Injuries mounting up

Spurs already have some notable players on the treatment table, with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris ruled out for around six weeks, while Yves Bissouma has an ankle issue and Rodrigo Bentancur is suffering with a knee injury.

As such, the last thing that Antonio Conte needed was for another player to be sidelined, but Sessegnon was omitted from the team for the 4-1 defeat against Leicester City on Saturday, and the reason for his absence has now come to light.

The Latest: Hamstring injury for Sessegnon

According to Football London, the left-back picked up a hamstring injury in a training session prior to the trip to the King Power Stadium at the weekend.

The issue is set to keep him out for around six weeks, leaving Conte with just Ivan Perisic in terms of natural left wing-backs.

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The Verdict: Blow for Conte

Sessegnon has made great strides this season, with his manager describing him as an ‘important’ player back in September, and the 22-year-old has managed to challenge Perisic for his place in the starting XI, as indicated by his tally of 17 appearances in the current Premier League campaign.

Given that Perisic is now 34 years old, it is not ideal that he is the only alternative option who is well-suited to playing at left wing-back, especially with a tricky set of fixtures coming up, starting with a Champions League trip to AC Milan on Tuesday night.

Another possibility for Conte is playing Ben Davies or Emerson Royal in a position in which they are not accustomed, and the latter has been heavily criticised this season, so Sessegnon’s absence is bound to be a huge concern for the Spurs boss.

West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer suffered an injury blow in his side’s 1-0 victory over Coventry City, reliable journalist Joe Chapman has confirmed.

The Lowdown: West Brom see off Coventry

The Baggies entertained Coventry in a key Championship clash on Friday evening, as they looked to continue their recent resurgence and head into the playoff positions.

They did just that, eventually battling their way to a 1-0 win thanks to Grady Diangana’s solitary goal, with the victory seeing them jump into fifth place in the table.

Someone who played no part in proceedings was Palmer, however, with David Button starting between the sticks instead.

The Latest: Palmer injury blow confirmed

Taking to Twitter after the game, The Birmingham Mail‘s Chapman relayed news from manager Carlos Corberan that Palmer has suffered an injury in training that will keep him sidelined for around six weeks:

“Bad news on Palmer, I’m afraid.”

The Verdict: Setback for Baggies

This is a big blow to West Brom’s promotion hopes, with Palmer a strong performer throughout this season, starting 17 league games and being described as ‘outstanding’ by Alan Sheehan during a loan spell at Luton Town last term.

Corberan has praised the ‘maturity’ of his performances recently, too, and being without him for an extended period is going to be a big test of Button’s credentials.

Palmer’s passing accuracy of 64.4% in the league this season is marginally better than his teammate’s tally of 63.4%, and he has also won twice as many aerial duels (0.2 to 0.1).

From being an afterthought at the Hawthorns to an essential under Corberan, the West Brom boss must now cope without his influential presence for well over a month in what must surely be a real blow for the Premier League promotion chasers.

Chelsea are facing the prospect of missing out on Declan Rice this year, with reports stating that Premier League rivals and table-toppers Arsenal are swerving into the lead in the race for his signature…

What’s the word?

West Ham United are reportedly resigned to losing their most coveted asset at the end of the current term, with The Athletic revealing an article just before Christmas that the east London outfit had ‘conceded internally’ that he will need to be sold after rejecting a contract extension in search of Champions League football, although they have touted his services at as high as £100m.

Arsenal and Chelsea have been at the forefront of the speculation, but recent light has shone in the Gunners’ direction following The Guardian’s claim that the 23-year-old favours a move to north London, with the enticing prospect of playing at a flourishing outfit under one of the most technicality adept and vibrant managers in the division in Mikel Arteta swinging the odds.

Boehly masterclass needed again

The Blues are baring their razor-sharp teeth under owner Todd Boehly, displaying their ruthless nature on the transfer front and already piping their London rivals to the signing of Mykhaylo Mudryk this winter.

Arsenal had looked locked and loaded to complete a successful pounce on Mudryk, who was snatched from under their noses by Boehly and his transfer contingent in the dying embers of the saga, arriving at the new Chelsea project in a deal potentially rising to £88.5m.

The plain fact is, many rival supporters will bemoan Chelsea’s relentless pursuit of fresh talent under their new American owner, but the crafting of what could swiftly become a super-team capable of dominating at the very top of the game, both domestically and continentally, is what will remain when the seasons have concluded and the trophies have been lifted into the air.

Continuing this unremitting approach, Boehly and his Blues technical director Christopher Vivell must reflect on the deal for Mudryk, who looked a captivating figure following his debut cameo against Liverpool in a drab 0-0 draw that threatened to spark into unlikely life with his introduction, with Football.London’s Bobby Vincent hailing his “extremely dangerous” fleeting performance.

This must be emulated with the Hammers’ Rice, who has made 26 appearances this season and chalked up an average Premier League rating of 7.25, as per Sofascore, despite his side’s woes – West Ham languish in 16th place in the division with just 18 points from 20 matches – recording 2.3 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per outing and completing 88% of his passes.

Heralded as a “force of nature” by journalist Rob Blanchette, the 39-cap England international would knit the midfield together and provide cohesion and an iron-clad resolve that would leave the opposition quaking.

With the newfound Blues team indeed being crafted into a devastating and fearsome unit, Rice would be the anchor that would be paramount to ensuring success, with talkSPORT host Tony Cascarino remarking at his “admirable” attitude to his game and performances on the pitch.

Bearing these factors in mind, and reflecting on the magnitude of stealing Mudryk from the Gunners’ clutches, Rice must be signed; Chelsea need a holding midfielder to solidify the success of a new era at the club, and knocking rivals Arsenal down a peg at the same time only adds extra incentive to strike an iron into the market for a superlative machine in Rice.

Liverpool are expected to sign a midfielder in the January transfer window, according to insider Dean Jones.

What’s the word?

Liverpool have been struggling this season following a period of success under Jurgen Klopp, with the midfield in particular attracting criticism as the core are ageing and struggling with fitness issues.

The club’s desperation for a new midfielder has seen them strongly linked with Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund for a summer move, but Jones claims that they will look to bring another body in during the transfer window.

Thiago and Naby Keita have suffered with injury problems, whilst James Milner, Jordan Henderson and Fabinho are beyond their best.

Speaking on his Ranks FC Patreon, Jones has hinted that Liverpool expect a midfield arrival this month.

“I have been told to expect Liverpool to sign a midfielder in this window because it’s such a problem,” he stated.

“With Van Dijk now missing too with injury, there’s also a question of Liverpool suffering problems with leadership and experience.”

A lot of quality needed

Liverpool arguably need three new midfielders to completely rebuild the spine of the team within the next few windows.

Bellingham is one for the summer, but if they are to boost their chances of finishing in the top four, then they will need some quality within this window.

They have been linked with Moises Caicedo of Brighton, and the 21-year-old would bring a lot of quality, as he has impressed in his 18 appearances this season.

Given their current ageing midfield, Liverpool should keep the future in mind even when investing in this window, and aim to sign younger players with potential to grow, but who can also bring leadership qualities.

An option they could explore is Wolves captain Ruben Neves, who is out of contract at the end of next season.

Neves would provide plenty of leadership qualities, and has bags of Premier League experience under his belt, but it remains to be seen whether Wolves will be willing to let a star player leave mid-way through the season.

Liverpool’s choice of signing could either give the team a massive boost and help them secure Champions League football, and possibly Bellingham, for next season, or he can help further the rot within the team and continue the decline which has taken place this season.

It is therefore a hugely important signing, and one Klopp cannot afford to get wrong.

Tottenham Hotspur have been dealt a ‘big blow’ after some injury news on summer signing Richarlison, says Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Richarlison suffers hamstring problem…

Representing Brazil at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the Spurs striker was dealt a real problem after suffering a hamstring injury in their quarter-final tie against Croatia.

The Premier League star, in a real concern for manager Antonio Conte, now looks set for a spell on the sidelines and his club expect him to be out for weeks.

Richarlison had enjoyed a brilliant tournament personally, scoring three goals in just four starts for his country, but has now returned to north London as he awaits the results of a scan.

 The Latest: O’Rourke moots ‘big blow’ after Richarlison news…

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, reporter O’Rourke has made a claim on the injury to Spurs’ forward.

Reacting to the news, he claims that it’ll be a ‘big blow for Tottenham’ to be without Richarlison – especially during the busy festive period.

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He explained:

“Yeah, it’ll be a big blow for Tottenham. I think losing some of your key players at this stage of the season when we resume on Boxing Day. It’s going to be a blow because we’ve got so many games coming up in such a short space of time between Boxing Day and New Year.

“There’s obviously a busy period in English football so Antonio Conte would have liked a fully fit squad to choose from what you would have probably rotated and scored and a few of those games as well.”

The Verdict: Real setback…

The South American ace has been a top performer in Europe for Spurs, scoring two goals in four appearances whilst ranking highly in terms of shots at goal and key passes made (WhoScored).

Tottenham’s influx of matches after the World Cup will be challenging to say the least without every available man, especially a real asset like Richarlison.

Conte will be hoping that the former Everton star can contend for a spot as quickly as possible.

Chelsea have not made the best of starts to the 2022/23 campaign, and with a recent season-ending injury halting Armando Broja’s promising start to his Blues career, centre-forward reinforcements have now been touted ahead of the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

The likes of Rafael Leao and Dusan Vlahovic are two high-profile names that have been consistently tethered to the Stamford Bridge rumour post across recent months, but Atletico Madrid’s Matheus Cunha could be a shrewd signing to turn the wheel back on track. 

According to 90min, Cunha – who has been subject to intense interest from Wolverhampton Wanderers – is now at the centre of further attention from a wealth of Premier League suitors, including Chelsea.

The 23-year-old joined Atletico from Hertha Berlin in summer 2021 in a £22.6m deal but has seemingly found boss Diego Simeone’s defensive philosophy a pothole in the road for his personal success.

Diego Costa 2.0

The departure of Cunha from Atletico appears to be a move which would suit all parties, with his current club seeking to offload his reported wages of £65k-per-week and the player himself seemingly unhappy with his development in Spain as he awaits an approach from England.

Indeed, the 23-year-old has only scored seven goals and supplied eight assists from 54 appearances under Simeone, having failed to score in 17 outings this term, albeit only starting on two occasions. 

Last season’s endeavours were far more fruitful, though, as the eight-cap Brazilian plundered seven goals and seven assists from 37 appearances for Atletico, despite only starting nine times.

His utility role in the team does not look to be shifting any time soon, and as such a move away would indeed be welcomed from each angle, should the technicalities be ironed out. 

Chelsea would inject a versatile and robust presence into their forward line, with FBref ranking Cunha within the top 2% of positional peers for rate of assists, and the top 4% for tackles and interceptions throughout Europe’s major leagues over the past year.

With the likes of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Raheem Sterling deployed in front of goal, albeit to little effect so far this term, Cunha could provide the creative spark which could get the cogs whirring and roar the Blues’ attacking engine back into life. 

The “extraordinary” marksman could offer echoes of former Blues striker Diego Costa with the magnitude of his impact, with the 24-cap Spaniard signing from Cunha’s current club Atletico in a £32m deal in 2014 and proving a smash hit in west London.

Scoring 59 goals and setting up 23 more across 120 appearances for the Blues, winning two Premier League titles and the League Cup across his three-and-a-half year stay at Stamford Bridge, Costa was a devastating presence in England.

If Cunha comes to Chelsea and can emulate such a resounding start to life in London – Costa scored 11 goals across his first ten Premier League matches – then he would certainly bring that uplifting factor to catapult Graham Potter’s back towards the Champions League places. 

Arsenal are flying this season, topping the Premier League and qualifying in first position of their Europa League group, and now look to bolster the squad this winter.

What’s the word?

The midfield department is one key area that Gunners owner Stan Kroenke wishes to inject fresh life into, with concerns that the current crop might suffer a lapse in the marathon campaign, with Manchester City chasing the club for the league title. 

InterLive names Arsenal alongside Aston Villa in eyeing a swoop for set-piece specialist Hakan Calhanoglu, who could serve as an excellent alternative for the touted Youri Tielemans, who Arsenal are among heated suitors in striving for his signature.

But with intrigue from the likes of Barcelona and Real Madrid, Arsenal must search for contingencies in the scenario that they fail to secure their man, and Calhanoglu could adopt the position in resounding fashion, though he’s likely to cost in the region of £26m.

The next Cazorla?

The balance of Arteta’s team is unequivocally harmonious, with 11 shipped goals a joint-divisional best, with free-flowing Manchester City the only other outfit to outscore the north London giants. 

However, the board are right to express concerns over the depth of the squad, with title rivals City boasting a pool far deeper. 

Calhanoglu has made 20 appearances for the Nerazzurri this term, scoring three goals and gifting five assists for his teammates from his industrious seat at the heart of the team. 

While the Turkish international adopts the deeper, No.8 role, he possesses plenty of offensive aptitude and is capable of unlocking defences with fierce strikes and calculated forward balls.

And the 28-year-old maestro holds semblance to former Arsenal icon Santi Cazorla, with the long-range passing and orchestrating ability from the centre qualities that Cazorla implemented into his game with aplomb. 

As per FBref, the 74-cap midfielder ranks within the top percentile for assists and shot-creating actions this term, whilst also in the top 6% for shots taken and the top 16% for attempted passes, when compared to positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues throughout the past year. 

And Sofascore rate the ace’s seasonal Italian Serie A rating at a commendable 7.38, with his 87% pass accuracy threading together with an average of 2.1 tackles per match, highlighting the robust approach that does little to dissuade the Gunners from making a move.

It is the “exceptional” Calhanoglu’s incentive to seek out forward-thinking patterns – as praised by former manager Stefano Piolo – that has likely attracted the interest of Arsenal technical director Edu, with Arteta welcoming the addition of a player that can provide auxiliary for the frontline.

With shades of Cazorla, the Inter maestro could quickly become a fan favourite at the Emirates Stadium if he were to make the switch and could prove invaluable in the hunt for silverware, which becomes a more concrete possibility with each match that Arsenal play.

Celtic maintained their seven-point lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table with a 2-1 victory away to Motherwell on Wednesday evening, ensuring a third win of the season for Ange Postecoglou’s side against the Steelmen.

The away side had taken the lead through Kyogo Furuhashi after just 15 minutes following good work from the ever-impressive Matt O’Riley, with the playmaker shrugging off his recent Denmark snub to tee up his Japanese teammate after superbly winning the ball back inside the area.

The Old Firm outfit had looked to have extended that lead after the break following a sublime finish from talisman Jota, only for the goal to subsequently be ruled out for offside despite images appearing to show that the Portuguese starlet was in fact in an onside position.

The Scottish champions have no doubt been on the receiving end of some questionable VAR decisions of late – including the harsh handball call against Alexandro Bernabei last weekend – and there was further controversy to come late on, with Josh Morris somehow escaping a red card despite a reckless lunge on the returning Carl Starfelt.

Those decisions ultimately had no bearing on proceedings as Daizen Maeda then sealed the points just minutes later with a brilliant sliding finish, albeit with Steven Hammell’s side ensuring something of a nervy climax after hitting back soon after through Ross Tierney.

While much of the talk post-match will once again be centred around the potentially questionable officiating, there may well be frustration at the performance of a few of Postecoglou’s key individuals amid what was a below-par display from the Parkhead giants, with Liel Abada notably underwhelming from his wide berth.

The 21-year-old had potentially warranted a start after netting off the bench late on in the recent win over Dundee United, although it had been something of a bold call to bring the Israel international back into the side in place of Sead Haksabanovic, with the latter man having scored twice last Saturday.

The former Maccabi Petah Tikva man failed to take his chance on the right flank having notably made just 34 touches in his 60-minute outing before being hooked in favour of that man Haksabanovic, with that limited involvement seeing him make fewer touches than teammate Joe Hart (48).

Abada was also wasteful when he did have possession, having lost the ball on 12 occasions and enjoying a pass accuracy rate of just 73%. He also recorded just one dribble after offering little in an attacking sense on what was a ‘quiet night’ for the dynamic asset, in the words of Glasgow Live’s Ben Banks.

Such an anonymous display ultimately didn’t prove costly in what was an end-to-end affair, although Postecoglou will know his side can’t afford to carry any passengers if they are to maintain their imperious form after the upcoming World Cup break.

For all of Abada’s goalscoring brilliance again this season – with nine goals in 20 games in all competitions – this latest outing was a reminder that the youngster is still far from the finished article.