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Liverpool have produced some remarkable players over the years, but the club’s academy has never quite been a hothouse for prodigious talents.

Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest English midfielders in history, while Trent Alexander-Arnold is the contemporary Scouse-born star boy, but the Reds haven’t maintained the fastest of production lines across the decades, instead honing one or two stars every now and then.

Is that changing? You’d certainly say so if recent history is anything to go by. Jurgen Klopp’s advent on Merseyside transformed Liverpool’s fortunes, saw Jordan Henderson lift Premier League and Champions League titles.

But the German also heralded an upswing in youth success, bringing a wave of talent to the fore.

Liverpool's best youth players

Right before Liverpool raised the Carabao Cup aloft in February, pundit Gary Neville infamously said: “Jurgen Klopp’s kids beat Chelsea’s billion-pound bottle-jobs.”

The injury-hit Merseysiders had prevailed against the odds, with a load of inexperienced youngsters covering yawning holes and claiming an unforgettable slice of silverware.

Ben Doak and Stefan Bajcetic were both injured, perhaps the two creams of the crop. However, the 2023/24 campaign had seen Conor Bradley and Jarell Quansah emerge onto the scene and cement established first-team roles, while lesser-known prospects like James McConnell, Jayden Danns and Bobby Clark all played instrumental parts.

An overload of quality, and it’s no surprise that Slot moved to trim the squad when he arrived during the summer. However, he did oversee the arrival of a teenage talent who might just trump the lot at Kirkby. His name’s Rio Ngumoha – and you might want to remember it.

Why Liverpool signed Rio Ngumoha

There was always going to be room for one more – especially if the talent in question was as good as Ngumoha, who, only 16, is operating on a different stratosphere to his age-mates.

Reporter Lewis Bower even said: “I’ve probably never seen anything like it before. In terms of his ceiling, it’s frightening.”

The gulf between youth and senior top-flight football is chasmic. Liverpool, however, are convinced that Ngumoha is one of the most talented 16-year-olds across the globe, with his fleet-footedness and on-the-ball technique bespeaking his athletic precocity.

Chelsea have been left brooding over their talent’s departure, but then Liverpool simply acted, pounced upon a gem that had been loosed by the upheaval and bloated nature of the Cobham Academy.

For Ngumoha’s part, he was enticed by the pathway to Anfield’s senior stage, watching as ‘Klopp’s kids’ achieved such noteworthy success last term, namely with Quansah, Bradley and Danns announcing themselves.

Chelsea U18

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Liverpool UEFA U19

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Given that he’s only a few months into his 16th year, Ngumoha has eclipsed expectations, taking steady steps onto the scene and leaving Premier League legends such as John Terry saying: “This boy is and will be a top, top player.”

There’s an easiness to his play that few youngsters showcase on the field. He plays as if in a park, carefree and devastating with every move, flick, trick. You need only look at the short clip below to get a taste.

Ngmoha leaves you wanting more. An entertainer with a predatory sense that suggests he is destined for greatness – with care, patience, and tempered expectations, of course.

However, there’s a ball-carrying quality that points toward Ngumoha being Liverpool’s next version of Sadio Mane. There’s plenty of work to be done before that peak is reached, but the signs are promising.

Rio Ngumoha could be Slot's own Sadio Mane

Klopp once called Mane a “world-class” forward, and it’s a sentiment that is echoed by all of a Liverpool persuasion. Mohamed Salah might be one of the best players in the world right now, but when he flanked Roberto Firmino with his Senegal partner, they made a whole that was far greater than the sum of its parts.

Mane, 32, was a talisman throughout the glory days of Klopp’s reign, so incredible on the flank as he combined deadly finishing with artful cunning and technical brilliance.

Ngumoha hasn’t quite nailed down his best position as he continues to cut his teeth at youth level but he does start on the left with the greatest regularity, and he could be Mane’s natural successor if he sharpens a goalscoring edge over the coming years.

The youngster’s burgeoning reputation could even see him take Luis Diaz’s place in the coming years, with the Colombian one of the finest players in the Premier League but turns 28 in a few weeks and appears to be at an impasse vis-a-vis contract talks.

His deal expires in 2027 and Liverpool, while satisfied that they are getting bang for their buck with the Colombian, will be aware that he is settled in the heart of his prime and would garner a pretty penny indeed if he were to pick up a suitor – Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain have been known admirers in 2024.

While it would be ridiculous to hurl the 16-year-old Ngumoha into the deep end, Cody Gakpo is thriving at present and Diogo Jota also brings an exciting take to the left wing position.

There’s room in the first team for Nguomha. After all, he’s already received a taste of the senior stage under Slot’s management, placed on the bench against Southampton in the Carabao Cup, though he didn’t grace the grass.

In any case, every indication suggests that Liverpool have an incredible talent on their hands and could reap the lucrative rewards of the incisive swipe this summer. Talk of him being Mane’s successor might be a little premature, admittedly, but Slot’s Liverpool offer a platform as good as any for a top-class youngster looking to make their name.

Nunez upgrade: Slot keen on Liverpool deal for "complete" £77m star in Jan

Liverpool’s Dutch boss is interested in strengthening his side’s frontline in 2025.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 27, 2024

Roberto De Zerbi has revealed how the recent storm of media reports surrounding internal unrest at Marseille has taken a personal toll.

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Marseille going through a rough patchDe Zerbi refused to conduct training The manager has opened up on the entire fiascoFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

The reports, originating from French outlet , claimed that De Zerbi’s strict and uncompromising methods have caused friction within the Marseille dressing room. As the team endures a difficult run in Ligue 1 — losing four of their last five matches – concerns have surfaced that the squad is beginning to lose faith in his approach.

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Tensions reportedly reached a boiling point after Marseille’s 3-1 defeat to Reims. According to insider accounts, De Zerbi expressed his frustration by refusing to lead the following training session, allegedly stating, “I won’t train you today.” In response, the players are said to have defiantly replied: “Then we won’t train either.”

The situation painted a picture of growing discontent within the team, with De Zerbi’s authoritative leadership style seemingly clashing with the expectations of some players. These whispers of a mutiny have cast a shadow over the club's immediate future and prompted questions about whether the squad remains united behind the manager.

WHAT DE ZERBI SAID

Facing mounting pressure, De Zerbi pushed back strongly against the narrative in a public statement, making it clear that he refuses to accept being portrayed as a villain.

“I’ve had a very difficult week, like everyone else," he told reporters. "I’m going to speak clearly about everything that has been said and written. I want to get the best out of my players and we’ve done some good things this year.

“I always make my decisions for the club. The things that happened this week are normal things that happen everywhere else. Pablo and Mehdi supported me, the players, many of them, even those who don’t like to talk. They all came to talk to me, to tell me they were with me. Since Tuesday’s training, I have been observing, the coach can’t talk every day. But I do not accept that we do things below our maximum limit. With my extreme methods, I try to lead OM to our final objective. Some people make me out to be a criminal, it’s not fair, I am a good person."

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DID YOU KNOW?

De Zerbi revealed that his mother had called him in distress after reading the headlines.

"My mum called me this morning and asked me: what did you do? Making out that I was a criminal and a delinquent when I’m not," he said.

De Zerbi confirmed he remains aligned with Mehdi Benatia, dismissing suggestions that the sporting director had to mediate a divided locker room.

"At the club, they tell me I’m too nice," he added. "Mehdi Benatia, I’m united with him. I read that he had a mediating role? It annoyed me, I don’t have any players against me, it’s not true. I don’t want to be liked by everyone."

After being knocked out of the FA Cup this Saturday at the hands of Stoke City, Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland sole focus now rests on achieving promotion out of the Championship.

Before this slim 2-1 defeat at the Stadium of Light, the Black Cats had a 100% win record in-tact for January with two league victories on the spin, having got the better of fellow promotion rivals Sheffield United on their own patch before exiting the cup.

Now, it’s all about the Wearside outfit bouncing back in the league, with Sunderland only two points off the coveted automatic promotion spots in the taxing division.

To help in their bid to surge up the table, Sunderland are now attempting to land a clinical EFL goalscorer.

Sunderland looking at signing EFL forward

As per football journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon, Le Bris’ men are now deep in a race for Stoke loanee Tom Cannon’s signature this January, with a growing likelihood that the 22-year-old striker could be sent out on loan away from the Potters.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Currently on loan from parent club Leicester City, Sunderland will pray that they are the lucky party that get to snap up Cannon at the expense of other interested sides, with Nixon naming Sheffield United as another suitor looking at the Republic of Ireland international.

Why Tom Cannon would be a good signing for Sunderland

Having proved himself at Preston North End prior to his switch to Staffordshire, it will be intriguing to see how this transfer saga plays out, with Sunderland no doubt wanting to play the 5 foot 11 centre-forward up top over Wilson Isidor.

Moreover, Eliezer Mayenda could come out of his shell even more when linking up with the potent 22-year-old, having been a revelation in attack this January so far.

Whilst Isidor has been a reliable source of goals up top for Le Bris’ side this season, with eight league strikes fired home, fresh blood in the form of Cannon would likely get the nod to lead the line over the Frenchman.

After all, the current Stoke hero has one more strike in league action when weighed up next to the Zenit St. Petersburg loanee, with a solitary assist also next to his name in the Championship this season pushing him slightly ahead of Isidor.

Interestingly, the heavily sought-after forward has proven to be the difference maker in two games this season between Stoke and Sunderland, with the aforementioned cup exit for the Black Cats sealed by Cannon’s 11th goal in all competitions for 2024/25.

If Cannon were to up and leave Stoke for another loan side in the Black Cats, he might well strike up a wonderful partnership with Eliezier Mayenda in those new surroundings, with the 19-year-old prospect discovering his Sunderland mojo as an attacking midfielder in recent games.

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Touches

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As has been seen this January in league action, Mayenda can just suddenly explode into life for Le Bris’ side at a moment’s notice, with only 52 touches accumulated versus both Sheffield United and Portsmouth, but three goal contributions came the Spaniard’s way regardless.

Cannon operates in much a similar way in terms of having a lethal edge in his game, with his strike against Sunderland last time out coming from just 19 touches of ball, meaning both Mayenda and the 22-year-old could be very dangerous together for Championship defences to contain.

Labelled as an “outstanding” striker last season by former Hull City manager Liam Rosenior, Cannon only looks to be getting better and better in the here and now, with Sunderland’s promotion chances massively boosted by this standout capture occurring this month.

2025 winter transfer window: Every done deal from the Championship

Every winter transfer from the second tier can be found here.

ByStephan Georgiou Feb 3, 2025

Manchester City star Jack Grealish has paid tribute to team-mate Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian announced he will be leaving the club this summer.

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De Bruyne announces Man City departureTipped for MLS or Saudi moveGrealish pays tribute to team-mateFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

De Bruyne posted his own message to fans after announcing his departure earlier in the week, and tributes from players and fans have started pouring in, including one from England international Jack Grealish, who admits one of the reasons he joined City was to play alongside the legendary midfielder.

AdvertisementWHAT GREALISH SAID

In the middle of a picture collage on Instagram, Grealish wrote: "One of the reasons I joined City was to play alongside you brother! The best I've ever had the pleasure of playing with for sure! Legend!"

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De Bruyne has been instrumental in guiding City towards the success they have had in recent years under Pep Guardiola. The 33-year-old has won 15 major honours with the Premier League champions, which included six top-flight titles in seven years. Grealish has reaped the rewards of linking up with the Belgian and is understandably grateful for his contributions.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

While De Bruyne is on the hunt for a new club, there are whispers that Grealish could also depart City this summer due to his poor form. AC Milan have been tipped as a potential destination for the England international.

Chelsea are now ahead of Real Madrid in the race to sign a “special” talent for Enzo Maresca as they look to add the final pieces to their squad in the transfer window.

Chelsea looking to sign defenders

Following the confirmation of Wesley Fofana’s injury, Chelsea have been strongly linked with signing a new centre-back this January, though Maresca has tried to quell the speculation.

“At this moment I think we are OK,” he explained when asked about the need for another defender, amid links to Premier League star Marc Guehi.

“The timing [for Fofana] is between 12 and 16 weeks which is three months and the season could be finished. If he can come back early we will all be happy.

“[But] we have Benoit who is close to being back, we have Josh who is doing well, Axel and Levi who can all do well in the position.”

However, defensive reinforcements will likely be needed sooner rather than later, with no clear alternative to Marc Cucurella in the Blues squad and Ben Chilwell set to depart this January after being frozen out for the first half of the campaign.

There are also concerns over the long-term ability of Chelsea’s current options, which has led to links to not just Marc Guehi but also Castello Lukeba, Benfica’s Tomas Araujo and more recently Bournemouth centre-back Illia Zabaryni.

Now they have been credited with an early advantage in the race to sign another option to bolster their backline, who would allow them to kill two birds with one stone.

Chelsea ahead of Real Madrid for "special" defender

That comes as Caught Offside report that Chelsea are leading Real Madrid in the race to sign Ajax sensation Jorrel Hato in what could prove to be a shrewd value move.

Still just 18-years-old, Hato is widely anticipated to be headed straight to the very top, with Football Analyst Ben Mattinson dubbing him a “special talent”. A Dutch senior international, he has featured 90 times for Ajax already despite his tender years, playing at both centre-back and more recently at left-back.

Appearances

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Pass Accuracy

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Tackles and interceptions per 90

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As per the report, Ajax are keen to keep hold of the teenager but “if they receive an offer between £40/45m, it will be difficult for them” to do so, which has opened the door to his potential exit.

And Chelsea and Todd Boehly “have jumped ahead of Real Madrid” in the race to land him, while Arsenal and Liverpool are also thought to be in the mix to land him in future transfer windows.

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Chelsea may look to re-sign one of their former talents during the January transfer window.

ByEthan Lamb Jan 11, 2025

It is added that Hato, who still has three and a half years left on his £16,000 a week deal in Amsterdam, “seems ready to continue his career outside the Dutch top-flight” and that Chelsea “are planning to sign the player due to his young age and versatility”, a move that would fit with their recent transfer policy.

The youngster would indeed provide cover across two key positions for Maresca’s side, able to rotate with Marc Cucurella at left back when needed but also fill in for Levi Colwill, who the Blues are also anticipating to have a big future.

Could Hato’s addition lock down Chelsea’s left side of defence for years to come?

Prolific Vince scores 65 as Fuller chimes in with bat and ball to trump Sussex cameos

ECB Reporters Network03-Jul-2022Hampshire warmed up for the Vitality Blast quarter-finals with their ninth victory in ten matches when they beat the Sussex Sharks by five wickets at Hove. For Sussex, it was their eighth defeat in their last nine games.The only surprise was that Sussex took the game to the final over. Hampshire looked on course for a more comfortable victory when their prolific captain James Vince and Ben McDermott put on 86 for the first wicket, striking at ten runs an over.But Hampshire’s batting faltered after Vince skied Delray Rawlins to the keeper for a 42-ball 65. After the powerplay some tight bowling from Rashid Khan and Ravi Bopara and a flurry of middle-order wickets left them needing 43 off the final five overs and then 39 off the last three.When that boiled down to 19 off two Sussex were still in the game. But when George Garton was called up to bowl the penultimate over Ross Whiteley and James Fuller thumped it for 15. That meant that leg-spinner Will Beer was on a hiding to nothing when he was called up to bowl the last over, in his last game for the club, with just four runs needed. Fuller cracked the first delivery over midwicket for four.The match was something of a dead rubber as Hampshire had already qualified for the quarter-finals, while Sussex were out of the competition. For that reason Tom Alsop, originally signed on loan from Hampshire – but recently signed on a permanent basis – was given special permission to play, though ultimately illness meant he was not available.The Sussex innings was full of cameos. They lost powerplay wickets and after five overs had scored only 28 runs for 2. In the second over the recently prolific Ali Orr skied Brad Wheal to Vince at mid-on. Then Josh Philippe lost his middle stump playing on to Chris Wood, who swung the ball in unpromising conditions.Sussex red-ball captain Tom Haines, playing his first T20 game of the season, and Harrison Ward, took 21 off the sixth over, but then Ward lofted Tom Prest to long on and Haines was stumped charging a googly from Mason Crane. Rawlins swatted two sixes in a 22-ball 29 and Bopara made 35 off 25.The most entertaining batting came at the end. Garton top-scored with 37 off just 17 deliveries, with three fours and three sixes, one a vast one over long-on. And Rashid scored a typically unorthodox 25 off a dozen balls. Somehow, Sussex had scrambled together a competitive score.

“Our head coach [Russell Domingo] is a very knowledgeable coach, but he is not that aggressive,” says Jalal Yunus

Mohammad Isam08-Aug-2022Jalal Yunus, BCB’s cricket operations chairman, has said that Bangladesh’s coaches have to do more to “transform” their players to be more attacking in limited-overs cricket.Bangladesh are under fire for losing both the T20I and ODI series against Zimbabwe. Concerns over their performance in the 50-overs format isn’t grave – it is only their first loss in six series – but their 20-overs form has prompted some serious introspection.”The support staff is very dedicated but maybe their way of coaching is different,” Yunus said. “Some coaches are aggressive, some coaches aren’t aggressive. You talk about Chandika Hathurusingha [who coached Bangladesh from 2014 to 2017]. He has the aggressive style we need. Our head coach [Russell Domingo] is a very knowledgeable coach, but he is not that aggressive. We want that aggression.Related

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Litton Das a doubt for Asia Cup after picking up hamstring injury

“We feel he can motivate players in the right way. Tell them have an aggressive attitude on the field. I think there lies the difference. We need someone who can transform us from playing slow cricket to playing attacking cricket, how it is played in T20s. Our coaches are professional and competent. But we have to discuss the aggression with them. We can’t just replace them on a whim. We have to know their plan.”So, the BCB has summoned the coaching staff to Dhaka to discuss just that. “They are supposed to land on August 19, so we are likely to sit the next day,” Yunus said. “We need to have a comprehensive plan until the England [white-ball] series [in March] next year. We have back-to-back tournaments coming up, so there are issues of player availability and injuries.”Bangladesh have the Asia Cup and a tri-series in New Zealand to try new things before the T20 World Cup but still there is very little expectation that they will perform well once the marquee event begins in Australia in October. Litton Das even admitted as much last month.Bangladesh have lost 15 of their last 19 T20Is•AFP/Getty ImagesUnder Domingo, Bangladesh have won four T20I series, including those against Australia and New Zealand. But since those two successes at home on raging turners, they have lost just 15 out of 19 matches. They were blanked in the Super 12 stage of the last World Cup and more recently they were done 2-1 by Zimbabwe and 2-0 by West Indies. Team director Khaled Mahmud last week called the players’ performance a disgrace.Bangladesh went through a number of changes in Zimbabwe. Mahmudullah was sacked as captain – only to be recalled as a player when his successor Nurul Hasan got injured. Many felt this was a backwards step. Their newcomers, Munim Shahriar and Parvez Hossain Emon, also struggled to make an impact and morale hit an all-time low when, having kept the series alive in the previous T20I, they failed to chase down a target of 157 in the decider.”We all saw what happened so you can evaluate what happened in the third T20I,” Yunus said. “We should have chased down that target. We admitted that we are not good in T20s, so we took a positive approach to making changes in the team.”We had a very precise plan, which we wanted to implement [in Zimbabwe]. Maybe those we selected didn’t perform up to the mark but we are not disappointed.”Yunus also said that Bangladesh will announce their squad for the Asia Cup this week after seeking extra time from the Asian Cricket Council. With Nurul still sidelined, there are question marks over who will captain the team as well. It has been reported that Shakib Al Hasan is the BCB’s No. 1 choice to step in and take charge.”We have a long injury list. Litton is injured. [Mohammad] Saifuddin is still working on his fitness. Yasir [Ali] is still not fit. Mustafizur [Rahman] has some pain. We want to submit a confirmed squad that is injury-free. We have the World Cup preparation after the Asia Cup, so want to have a similar set of players. This is why we are taking our time,” Yunus said.

Sunderland will travel to Burnley tomorrow night in the Championship hopeful that they can pick up another positive result against one of the promotion pack, having temporarily dented Sheffield United’s confidence on New Year’s Day with a 2-1 win.

Picking up said victory would allow the Black Cats to move into the top two positions in the league before the rest of the teams then play catch up at the weekend, as Regis Le Bris continues to pray that his side are made of stern stuff for the tense promotion battle that awaits.

He wouldn’t say no to a number of new recruits entering the building this January to help take his team to the next level in the taxing division, with Tom Cannon continuing to stick out as a number one target.

Sunderland's pursuit of Tom Cannon

It’s no secret at this point in time that Sunderland are locked into a battle to try and snap up Cannon this January, with a whopping £13m bid reportedly put forward to Leicester City.

Sheffield United are also involved in this much-talked-about tussle, with the Republic of Ireland international helping himself to a healthy nine goals in the Championship this season on loan with Stoke City, before the Foxes recalled their player in an effort to move on him permanently.

Instead of fighting it out intensely for the services of the expensive attacker all window long, the Black Cats could be preparing to move their focus towards another gem who has been lighting up his own division much like Cannon.

If the player in question was to settle in well after a January switch to the Stadium of Light, it could well be a repeat of Wilson Isidor’s successful move, who has managed to get up to speed with the English game at a rapid pace.

Sunderland's potential Tom Cannon alternative

The new Black Cats target comes in the form of KVC Westerlo star Matija Frigan, with Sunderland’s interest in the Croat coming from journalist Michael Graham earlier this month via his X account.

Whilst this might not be as jaw-dropping as snapping up Cannon, Sunderland could reportedly win the standout 21-year-old’s signature for a fee around the £4.6m mark according to Dutch publication Voetbal Nieuws, which is what Westerlo paid for the youngster’s services when he left his native Croatia behind in 2023.

This season for Westerlo, the 21-year-old has helped himself to six strikes from 20 league encounters, which included a coolly taken strike back in November when Frigan emphatically fired home on a counterattack.

Whilst these aren’t overly mind-blowing numbers, when you consider Cannon had tallied up three more goals in the hustle and bustle of the Championship, Isidor also entered the English game off the back of some mediocre performances at Zenit St. Petersburg only to now be Sunderland’s leading goalscorer in the division.

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Indeed, the Frenchman had only mustered up an unsatisfactory four goals when on the books of Zenit, with Frigan at least able to boast more impressive numbers when glancing at the table above.

Whilst a move not getting done for Cannon would annoy the Sunderland masses, especially if promotion rivals Sheffield United were to swoop in and win the clinical Irishman, this signing also feels more in-keeping with the Black Cats’ philosophy of buying young, raw gems in an effort to mould them into unbelievable stars.

It remains to be seen whether the ex-Preston North End man will call Wearside home before the chaotic window shuts, but if this move is proving too difficult to finalise, Sunderland might well set their sights on Belgium to land this exciting buy.

Sunderland could land a more exciting deal than Le Fee in "outstanding" ace

Sunderland could really lay down a marker in the Championship by snapping up this exciting star.

ByKelan Sarson Jan 15, 2025

Everything you need to know about Argentine striker Julian Alvarez's wages at Atletico Madrid in LaLiga

Julian Alvarez made his big-money move from Manchester City to Atletico in the summer of 2024 in search of more minutes and has been firing on all cylinders for Diego Simeone's side.

Alvarez has played a crucial role in boosting Atletico Madrid's goal-scoring output, linking up well with the likes of Antoine Griezmann and Alexander Sorloth, always ready to pounce on every opportunity that comes his way.

Having previously proven his value at City, Alvarez was handed a substantial salary in order to convince him to join Atletico Madrid.

Just how much does he earn in the Spanish capital, though?

GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!

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Julian Alvarez's wages at Atletico Madrid in numbers

Under his current contract at Atletico Madrid, Alvarez earns £113,859 ($149,049) on a weekly basis.

Meanwhile, his annual salary amounts to £5.9 million ($7.7m).

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Julian Alvarez

Argentine

  £113,859

$149,049

£5,920,667

$7,750,551

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTop earners at Atletico Madrid

The current highest earner in the Atletico Madrid squad is Slovenian shot-stopper Jan Oblak, followed by French superstar Antoine Griezmann.

Taking the number three spot is English midfielder Conor Gallagher, while at number four and five are Marcos Llorente and the experienced Axel Witsel, respectively.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822

Antoine Griezmann

French

£201,022

$263,152

£10,453,154

$13,683,882

Conor Gallagher

English

£144,736

$189,469

£7,526,271

$9,852,395

Marcos Llorente

Spanish

£133,961

$175,364

£6,965,982

$9,118,939

Axel Witsel

Belgian

£133,961

$175,364

£6,965,982

$9,118,939

Top earners in La Liga

Apart from being the highest earner at Atletico, Oblak is also the fourth-highest paid player across the league.

Top spot belongs to Barcelona's Polish superstar Robert Lewandowski.

Following him is Real Madrid's own superstar Kylian Mbappe. Taking the third and fifth spots are two more Madrid players, David Alaba and Jude Bellingham.

Nationality

Nationality

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual Wages USD

Robert Lewandowski

Polish

£536,006

$701,667

£27,872,290

$36,486,704

Kylian Mbappe

French

£502,556

$657,879

£26,132,886

$34,209,706

David Alaba

Austrian

£361,840

$473,673

£18,815,678

$24,630,988

Jan Oblak

Slovenian

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

$22,802,822

Jude Bellingham

English

£334,983

$438,516

£17,419,136

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AFPHighest paid players in the world

Despite the impressive wages on offer in the league, none of the top LaLiga earners make it to the top-five earners list globally as Saudi Pro League players heavily dominate the list.

Leading the charts are former Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema at first and second spot respectively.

Meanwhile, Riyad Mahrez comes in at number three, followed by Senegalese internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly.

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,216,155

$4,210,425

£167,250,468

$218,942,120

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,608,178

$2,105,213

£83,625,234

$109,471,060

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£839,469

$1,098,921

£45,652,372

$57,43,893

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£643,271

$842,085

£33,450,094

$43,788,424

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£558,038

$730,509

£29,017,956

$37,986,458

Who's hot, who's not? GOAL ranks all 30 teams across Major League Soccer

Matchday 9 was explosive, especially in the Eastern Conference.

All of it was highlighted by Inter Miami's massive victory over the Columbus Crew. The defeated Wilfried Nancy's men 1-0 in front of over 60,000 fans in a clash between the last two undefeated teams in the league.

FC Cincinnati and Charlotte FC, meanwhile, both earned huge victories to see them climb to the top of the conference in first and second place, respectively, tied on 19 points. Miami and Columbus now both sit on 18, in third and fourth.

In the Western Conference, the Seattle Sounders found themselves on a scoring frenzy, defeating Nashville SC for a much-needed victory. League-leaders Vancouver Whitecaps, meanwhile, were stalled by St. Louis CITY SC for a scoreless draw, handing them a brief setback after their terrific beginning to the campaign.

Sporting Kansas City put five goals past the San Jose Earthquakes in an eight-goal thriller, while LAFC and Portland Timbers shared a point after an exciting 3-3 draw.

Who's leading the pack, and who's falling short of expectations? GOAL presents the latest 2025 MLS Power Rankings.

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Imagn30CF Montreal

Prior Ranking: 30

Result: Drew Orlando City 0-0

Ramifications: Apoint is a point, right? In the grand scheme of things, though, it's just their third this campaign. They're still winless, still permanent head coach-less, and still without any sort of direction or identity. It's troubling to see.

Advertisement29Los Angeles Galaxy

Prior Ranking: 29

Result: Lost to Austin FC 1-0

Ramifications: It just keeps getting worse. They have both Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil back in the mix, but LA couldn't get anything over the line against an in-form Austin side. Even with an xG of 1.0, their attack couldn't figure things out, and it's now nine weeks without a win for the reigning champions.

28Atlanta United

Prior Ranking: 24

Result: Lost to Philadelphia Union 3-0

Ramifications: Where do you even start? Over $30 million spent in the offseason to revamp their attack, but just one goal in their last three matches – all three of which they're winless in.

Individual errors plagued them on Saturday against Philly, but there is a bigger picture issue with Atlanta here: how can they have such a star-studded roster, on paper, but not click on the pitch? There's a lack of chemistry amongst the squad, while their midfield doesn't know how to break the game down off the ball. It's just puzzling.

A deserved loss.

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27D.C. United

Prior Ranking: 28

Result: Defeated RBNY 2-1

Ramifications: Their losing streak is finally over. What an important result, and what a performance from Joao Peglow. The Brazilian winger scored a goal of the season candidate with a brilliant overhead kick, and bagged their other on the evening as well, handing them their first win in six matches. These are the moments that can turn a season around.