Cristiano Ronaldo’s three-match ban for sustaining a red card in Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against Ireland has been suspended for a year, and the reason why has now been revealed.

Why Ronaldo will be allowed to play at 2026 World Cup

Ronaldo was shown a straight red card for violent conduct in his side’s 2-0 defeat against Ireland this month, having elbowed Dara O’Shea, but he is set to be involved from the start of the World Cup next summer.

FIFA have taken the decision to suspend the final two games of the ban, and with the forward sitting out of his side’s 9-1 drubbing of Armenia, he will be able to take part in all of Portugal’s group games.

The decision has caused plenty of controversy, with talkSPORT’s Andy Goldstein calling it “disgusting”, given that the same rules haven’t been applied to Nicolas Otamendi and Moises Caicedo, who both have one-match bans, meaning they are set to miss the first World Cup game.

Darren Bent also weighed in, saying the only reason FIFA have decided to make an exception is because the Portugal star sells tickets, but the BBC have now revealed that another factor is at play.

According to their sources, FIFA have taken into account that it was the 40-year-old’s first red card in 226 international appearances when making their decision.

The statement put out by the governing body is also relayed, which states: “If Cristiano Ronaldo commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension set out in the disciplinary decision shall be deemed automatically revoked and the remaining two matches must be served immediately.”

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In truth, the decision is definitely questionable, given that similar exceptions haven’t been made for Otamendi and Caicedo, and journalist Colin Millar has drawn comparisons to Inter Miami being allowed to play at the Club World Cup.

However, Ronaldo will undoubtedly be relieved, given that he has already confirmed the 2026 World Cup will be his last, saying: “Definitely, yes. I will be 41 years old and I think [this] will be the moment in the big competition.”

Should the Al-Nassr star win the competition with Portugal, there is a case to be made for him winning the ‘GOAT’ debate, but it will be a tall order, with the likes of Spain, England, France and Argentina all looking strong.

ECB confirms central contracts for 26 players, with four more on development deals

Matt Roller04-Nov-2025

Ben Stokes has signed a fresh two-year England contract, providing the clearest indication yet that he intends to play in the 2027 Ashes series on home soil.Stokes, 34, has tapered his schedule significantly due to injury, to the extent that the only side he has represented in the past 12 months is England’s Test team. He has been sidelined with hamstring and shoulder issues this year and has not played a limited-overs international since November 2023, but his new contract suggests he has no plans to stop soon.Brendon McCullum, England’s head coach, is under contract until the end of 2027 and Stokes’ new deal suggests that the coach-captain combination could continue for another two years. England have won 25 and lost 14 Tests since McCullum and Stokes took over in June 2022, but are yet to register a series win over a “Big Three” opponent ahead of the imminent Ashes tour to Australia.Related

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Stokes is one of 14 players to have signed a new two-year central contract, with a further 12 players under contract until October 2026 and four more signing development deals. The ECB announced the list on Tuesday, which director of men’s cricket, Rob Key, said reflected “the depth and strength of talent” in the English game.Five players have signed their first central contracts: Sonny Baker, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton and Luke Wood. A further six players were not offered deals after their contracts expired: Jonny Bairstow, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, and Chris Woakes, who has retired from international cricket.Key said that multi-year contracts – which were introduced two years ago – were designed to help the ECB manage workloads of all-format players and to ensure that, in the case of players in high demand on the franchise circuit, “England remains their priority”.England central contracts 2025-2026•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

These include Adil Rashid, whose new deal implies that he will continue until at least the 2027 50-over World Cup, while Sam Curran’s two-year contract marks a return to favour after he spent the first half of this year outside England’s white-ball squads. Jos Buttler has also committed to a two-year deal despite stepping down as white-ball captain earlier this year.Notably, several members of England’s Test side have only signed one-year contracts, leaving open the possibility of a post-series clear-out in the event of a heavy defeat in the upcoming Ashes. These include Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Ollie Pope and Mark Wood, who is now in the final year of the three-year contract he signed in 2023.Four seamers in the England Lions squad to tour Australia have been awarded development contracts for 2025/26: Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Tom Lawes and Mitchell Stanley. Hampshire’s John Turner, who missed most of the 2025 summer after a back stress fracture, has lost his development deal.”This structure allows us to support our players properly while maintaining strong squads across all formats as much as possible,” Key said.The most notable omissions from the contracts list are Tom Banton, an ever-present in England’s T20I side since Brook took over as white-ball captain, and Jordan Cox, who has been a regular squad member across formats in the last year.England men’s central contractsTwo-year contracts: (until Sep 30, 2027) Jofra Archer, Gus Atkinson, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Brydon Carse, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Will Jacks, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Ben Stokes, Josh TongueOne-year contracts: (until Sep 30, 2026) Rehan Ahmed, Sonny Baker, Shoaib Bashir, Zak Crawley, Liam Dawson, Saqib Mahmood, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Matthew Potts, Phil Salt, Luke Wood, Mark WoodDevelopment contracts: Josh Hull, Eddie Jack, Tom Lawes, Mitchell StanleyLapsed contracts: Jonny Bairstow, Jack Leach, Liam Livingstone, Olly Stone, Reece Topley, Chris Woakes, John Turner

Ex-England, Chelsea and Manchester City winger Sean Wright-Phillips has given his verdict on Liverpool's struggles this season, claiming it was a mistake to allow Luis Diaz leave for Bayern Munich without a like-for-like replacement. The Colombian completed a £65.5m ($87m) transfer to the Bavarian giants in the summer, with the Reds acquiring central attackers in Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak.

• Diaz shines for Bayern since Liverpool switch

  Former winger Wright-Phillips was clear in his assessment of Liverpool's transfer business, saying he felt the decision to part company with Diaz without replacing him with another winger was a clear mistake from the moment it happened. He said many Liverpool fans are now waking up to the quality Diaz possesses, as he thrives in Munich. 

  The ex-Porto man has been a revelation for Bayern so far this term, scoring 11 goals and contributing five assists in 18 competitive appearances. The highlight of his brilliant start to life in Germany came in Bayern's 2-2 draw away to Union Berlin last month, when he rifled home a finish from an impossibly tight angle.  

  Diaz was absent in the German club's only loss of the 2025/26 campaign in midweek, after he followed a first half brace with a red card in the Bavarian side's 2-1 win over PSG. Vincent Kompany's side clearly missed his direct running and physical output in their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal. 

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• Getty Images Entertainment
  

  Wright-Phillps: Selling Diaz was a "mistake"

  In an interview with Wright-Phillips was asked whether he thought it was a mistake to sell Diaz to Bayern. He replied: "Yes. I thought that when I heard it before it even happened. I couldn’t quite understand it. That was a mistake, but an even bigger mistake was not replacing him.

  "You’re losing a winger, so replace him with another winger. For whatever reason, they chose to look elsewhere.

  "I think a few Liverpool fans recognised just how good he was for them, but a lot of people didn’t really understand how important and effective he was until he started doing it for Bayern instead."

• Wright-Phillips criticises Liverpool's transfer policy

  Wright-Phillips continued his criticism over Liverpool's transfer spending. He was asked if the Reds failure to secure Marc Guehi's transfer from Crystal Palace was their biggest mistake, however, the 44-year-old instead referenced the decision to acquire both Isak and Ekitike without Arne Slot adjusting his tactics to accommodate both players, or bring out the best in other high-profile purchases like Florian Wirtz. Isak joined Liverpool for a British record fee of £125m from Newcastle; Ekitike made the switch to Merseyside from Eintracht Frankfurt in a deal that could reach £79m; Wirtz cost £116m to acquire from Bayer Leverkusen. All three men have struggled for form and fitness  over the start of the 2025/26 season. 

  "No, I don't think Liverpool missing out on Guehi was the biggest mistake of the summer. I think the biggest mistake is that Slot hasn’t adapted his approach so that Ekitike and Isak can play together," said Wright-Phillips. 

  "They’re both pretty similar, so you need to work on it to make sure they can team up. But you can’t have one who drops short, because that’s where Wirtz will be. But if you have Wirtz there, you’ve fundamentally changed your title-winning midfield tactics."

  Wright-Phillips went on to suggest that Liverpool had tinkered too much with their winning formula from last term. He added: "There's been too much change in Liverpool from the team that almost walked the league last season. I don't think there needed to be £400 million worth of changes. I don't think they needed both Isak and Ekitike. They could have just taken one and then they would have been well placed to go and obviously replace Diaz. But they were so focused on those two players that they didn't really do much else after that."

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  What comes next?

  Diaz's form will be add insult to injury for Liverpool fans, that have watched their expensive attack fail to gel. 

  It has not been much better in defence. Jamie Carrageher unleashed an x-rated rant against Arne Slot for continuing to pick the struggling Ibrahima Konate after Liverpool's disastrous 4-1 home defeat to PSV Eindhoven earlier this week. The Sky and CBS Sports pundit suggested the Dutchman has one week to right the ship, before shis position will come under serious threat. Slot has to find the right tactical balance ahead of the Reds trip to West Ham on Sunday, and the visit of Sunderland on December 3.

Babar Azam has returned to the Pakistan T20I squad for the first time in nearly a year. He was named in a 15-member squad for the upcoming series against South Africa, as well as the tri-series against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe which follows. Mohammad Rizwan, who was removed from the captaincy in ODI cricket, keeps his place in the 50-over squad, while wicketkeeper-batter Usman Khan and offspinner Usman Tariq come into the T20 side.Babar has not played any T20 cricket since the end of the PSL, after which he was not part of any squad for the shortest format. At the time, Pakistan’s white-ball coach Mike Hesson said he would need to “improve a few things” to earn his way back into the side, with the Big Bash League in December believed to be the tournament Pakistan would use to assess his improvement. It is not yet clear what led to him being fast-tracked back in, but his inclusion means he is, once more, an all-format player for Pakistan.Related

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Fast bowler Naseem Shah keeps his place in the ODI squad, and returns to the T20 side. He recently excelled in the CPL with St Kitts and Nevis Patriots, where Tariq’s performance with champions Trinbago Knight Riders has also been rewarded. He was the second-highest wicket-taker in the tournament. Hasan Ali, who was part of the T20 Asia Cup squad, is not part of any of the white-ball teams, while Hussain Talat drops out of the T20 side.Shaheen Afridi will captain Pakistan’s ODI side for the first time against South Africa in November during a three-match series. Before that, Pakistan play three T20s against them. It is followed by the tri-series from November 17 to 29.

Pakistan ODI squad

Shahen Shah Afridi (captain), Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Faisal Akram, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Haseebullah, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha

T20I squad

Salman Ali Agha (captain), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Nawaz, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Usman Khan (wk), Usman Tariq

Three-time MLB All Star Matt Carpenter is calling it a career after a long and productive run that established him as a fan favorite in St. Louis. The 14-year veteran announced his retirement from baseball Wednesday morning on Sports Spectrum's Get in the Game podcast, citing his desire to spend more time with his family.

“God really just put it on my heart that it was time to come home and be a dad,” Carpenter said. “I’ve got two little kids. I’ve got a third-grade daughter, Kinley. I got a first-grade son, Cannon. And they are just in such fun ages. I just didn’t want to miss out on any more things that you miss as a professional athlete.”

Over 14 seasons in the bigs Carpenter was a legitimate gamer whose left-handed swing provided a steady weapon in the Cardinals' lineup. He broke through in 2012 en route to a sixth-place finish in National Leage Rookie of the Year voting and followed that up with a six-year run in which he garnered fringe MVP consideration.

Carpenter led the NL in doubles twice, including 2013 when he also passed the Senior Circuit in hits and runs.

Overall he finished with a .259 batting average for the Cardinals, Yankees and Padres.

Clayton Kershaw returns to the mound on Saturday, when he is set to make his first start of the season for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Kershaw has been sidelined after sustaining both foot and knee injuries that prematurely sidelined him in 2025, keeping him out of the Dodgers' World Series run.

Kershaw had contemplated retirement in recent years, but he opted to come back for this season. After sitting on the bench injured while his team won the World Series and for much of 2024, Kershaw missed getting the action on the mound. The 10-time All-Star returned from a shoulder injury in the middle of last season, but only started seven games before he landed on the injured list for the rest of the year.

“I think when you haven’t done something for a long time, and you realize that you miss it—you miss competing, you miss being a part of the team and contributing—there’s a lot of gratitude and gratefulness to get back to that point,” Kershaw said, via Jack Harris of the . “I definitely feel that."

“At the end of the day, you just want to be a contributing factor to the Dodgers,” he said. “You don’t want to just be on the sidelines. So I’m excited to get back to that.”

Though Kershaw is grateful to get back to the mound, he also joked that he won't feel that way for long if he doesn't pitch well.

"Now, if I go out there and don’t pitch good, it’s gonna go away real fast," Kershaw said. "So there’s a performance aspect of it, too. But I think for now, sitting on the other side of it, just super excited and grateful to get to go back out there again.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s much-needed 2-0 win against Brentford yesterday could be the victory Thomas Frank needed to kickstart his career in charge in North London.

Xavi Simons and Richarlison’s first-half efforts were enough to secure all three points for the Lilywhites, subsequently securing the first league win since the end of October.

The win was just the club’s second home triumph of the campaign, with the only previous three points coming against Burnley way back on the opening day of the Premier League season.

However, it’s given the Dane the platform he needs to be a success in the role, especially after the pressure has ramped up on his shoulders over recent weeks.

Despite the win, numerous players once again struggled within Frank’s side, which could lead to the manager finally discovering his best starting eleven at the club.

Spurs’ poor performers against Brentford

Midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has fallen way below his usual high standards over the last couple of weeks, with his showing against Brentford yet another disappointing one.

The Uruguayan international featured for 65 minutes before being withdrawn after losing possession on six separate occasions – just over once every ten minutes.

He also failed to complete any dribbles and was also dribbled past on one occasion, with youngster Archie Gray managing to outperform him during the meeting.

However, he wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with full-back Djed Spence also enduring an uncharacteristically poor performance on home soil against the Bees.

The full-back featured for the entirety of the win, but only managed to achieve a 40% success rate from the ten duels that he entered down the left-hand side.

He also failed to make any tackles, whilst not finding a teammate with any of his four crosses – subsequently highlighting his struggles at both ends of the pitch.

The Spurs player who needs to be dropped after Brentford

Since Frank’s appointment as Spurs manager, he’s often tinkered with his squad to try and stumble across his best starting eleven to lead the club up the Premier League.

Whether it be various different partnerships across the squad, or players operating in unnatural positions, the Dane has tried it all to push the side in the right direction.

Undoubtedly, the first home win since August yesterday demonstrated glimpses of a successful side, with the Lilywhites restricting the visitors to limited opportunities throughout.

However, that didn’t stop numerous players from struggling to make a positive impact, as seen with the aforementioned pairing of Bentancur and Spence.

They weren’t alone in struggling, with Randal Kolo Muani, another who was unable to produce his best performance of the season against Keith Andrews’ side.

The Frenchman was asked to operate off the left wing rather than his usual centre-forward position – something which no doubt affected his lack of impact on proceedings.

He featured for 74 minutes before being replaced, but his hard work and work rate only merely covered up his lack of tangible impact during the 2-0 victory against the Bees.

The 27-year-old only registered a total of 40 touches of the ball during his time on the pitch – with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario managing more with his total of 45.

He also failed to complete any of his five attempted dribbles, whilst none of his crosses were able to find the men in white – showcasing his lack of impact in the final third.

When he did have the chance to find the back of the net, Kolo Muani did squander his opportunity, resulting in the loanee registering a missed big chance.

Out of possession, he was just as lacklustre in North London, subsequently winning just two of the 15 duels he entered – resulting in a total of 88% of duels lost.

There’s little denying that Kolo Muani has been a decent option for Frank’s men this season, but his showing was one to forget yesterday – which could lead to him being dropped from the side.

It was certainly a positive afternoon for Frank’s men, but one that has raised another issue for him, with the manager desperately needing to utilise the Frenchman in a more central role going forward.

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Leeds United’s scouts have now reportedly been spotted keeping close tabs on a Champions League talent who just helped shock Borussia Dortmund.

Leeds join the race to sign Tyrique George

The Whites are beginning to turn their full attention towards the January transfer window. With survival in mind, those at Elland Road have already reportedly set their sights on key attacking reinforcements, who could take Daniel Farke’s from a relegation battle into much-needed Premier League comfort.

Whether one of those reinforcements is Tyrique George will certainly be interesting to see. The Chelsea youngster has struggled for game time at Stamford Bridge this season and desperately needs a move away from West London to get back on track next month.

The 19-year-old isn’t the only name on Leeds’ reported shortlist, however. Alongside the Chelsea youngster, the Yorkshire club have also reportedly set their sights on Barcelona’s Roony Bardghji in what would be a sensational move.

The young La Liga star is one of the best young talents around recently scored his first league goal for Barcelona since arriving in the summer.

Improving Farke’s frontline seems to be the priority at Elland Road next month and that should come as no surprise after Leeds missed out on a number of attacking targets in the summer.

Whilst the likes of Lukas Nmecha and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have got off to impressive starts, the addition of another consistent goalscorer would certainly do Leeds’ survival hopes no harm. And if it’s not George or Bardghji, then it may well be Jens Petter Hauge who arrives in January.

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The Bodo/Glimt winger is reportedly on Leeds’ radar, with the 49ers joining their Premier League rivals in the race to secure his signature when 2026 arrives.

Leeds scouts spotted watching Jens Petter Hauge

As reported by TeamTalk, Leeds scouts have now been spotted keeping tabs on Hauge ahead of making a potential January move. Joined by Crystal Palace, Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton in the race for the 26-year-old, the Whites would be landing an impressive coup if they secured Hauge’s signature.

It’s easy to see why there’s so much interest in his signature, too. The Bodo/Glimt star was in clinical form in the Champions League earlier this week, shocking Borussia Dortmund by equalising for his side and securing a 2-2 draw against the odds.

His strike against Dortmund took Hauge’s total for the season to 11 goals in all competitions, which certainly looks good alongside the 11 assists that he’s also provided for the Norwegian side.

Having returned to his best form with a return to Bodo/Glimt in the summer, reports are now suggesting that Hauge wants to complete a Premier League switch in a major boost for Leeds and others.

Dubbed “exceptional” by Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank earlier this season, Hauge could earn redemption away from Norway after previous struggles at AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt on Europe’s top stage.

Anita 2.0: Farke signing already looks like he’ll never make it at Leeds

O’Neill took 4 for 53 while Bartlett and Hadley took two wickets each as Australia A romped to an innings and 127-run victory

AAP08-Dec-2025

England’s miserable Ashes tour has reached the depths of their Lions side, who were beaten by an innings and 127 runs by an Australia A team.England’s alarming lack of Ashes depth has been further emphasised, after their Lions side were thrashed by an innings and 127 runs by Australia A in Brisbane.Fresh off the tourists’ heavy loss at the Gabba on Sunday leaving them 2-0 down in the Ashes, the Lions were humiliated 10 minutes down the road at Allan Border Field on Monday.Related

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After being bowled out for 166 on Friday, England’s batting managed slightly better in their second innings before being all out for 295.Youngster Asa Tribe, who has played five ODIs for Jersey, finished unbeaten on 129, but Fergus O’Neill’s 4 for 53 for Australia A ensured there was no chance of a final-day draw.Those innings were sandwiched by Australia A’s 588 for 8 declared, with Nathan McSweeney using the match to push his Test claims with an unbeaten 226.The defeat follows a loss to a Cricket Australia XI last month, but most players featured in a first-innings win over a Prime Minister’s XI in Canberra.England’s senior side desperately need change ahead of next week’s third Ashes Test in Adelaide, but realistically their options are limited.Ollie Pope is under mounting pressure to keep his spot at No. 3, after failing to reach 50 in any of his first four innings of the series.But the man most likely to replace him, Jacob Bethell, is still yet to hit his maiden first-class hundred in a career spanning 25 matches.Bethell showed some signs of promise with a 71 against Australia A on Sunday, but his returns for the tour are now 3, 70, 44, 16, 19 and 71.Tribe’s century in the third innings in Brisbane has been the only hundred of the tour from an England Lions player, with no one sticking their hand up for selection.The bigger concern for England could be spinner Shoaib Bashir, after years of preparing him for this Ashes summer.The 22-year-old went for 0 for 115 from 25 overs against Australia A, with McSweeney pulling his first two balls for four on day one, and the match barely getting any better.Will Jacks was picked ahead of Bashir for the Gabba Test and took the wicket of Brendan Doggett, while offering some value with the bat.England’s back-up quicks Josh Tongue and Matthew Potts did not play in this Lions fixture, with Nathan Gilchrist taking 4 for 128 and Josh Hull 3 for 103.

Liverpool have been plugging away under Arne Slot’s management in recent weeks, looking to recover their title-winning form from last season.

And while the Reds have made a measure of progress after that abject Anfield defeat against PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League, winning at West Ham before recovering to seal a draw against Sunderland, much more is needed.

Despite a summer of heavy spending, it’s clear that there are gaping holes in Slot’s squad, with the backline beyond fragile and the motley group of elite forwards lacking synergy and understanding.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will be rolling up his sleeves as the January transfer window inches closer.

Liverpool's winter transfer plans

Without a doubt, Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo’s names have been touted at the highest frequency this season, and it’s understood that Semenyo could be at the very top of the list after FSG decided against directly replacing Luis Diaz in August.

However, Semenyo’s £65m price tag and the growing interest from Premier League rivals such as Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur suggests FSG would be wise to keep their book of options open.

And they have. According to Spanish sources, Barcelona have been left disgruntled in their bid to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig following rising interest from Liverpool and Spurs.

Leipzig value the 19-year-old winger at €90m (about £78m), and after holding talks with the Bundesliga outfit, Liverpool and Tottenham are primed to make official offers this winter.

Why Liverpool should sign Yan Diomande

Though Cody Gakpo has come under flak for his performances this season, he has still scored four goals and provided three assists across 12 Premier League starts.

Semenyo would jockey with the Dutchman for a place on the left flank, but signing Diomande might actually be the more providential move for Liverpool as a whole, bringing back Diaz’s electric pace and energy while establishing a duality of option that could see both players thrive.

And anyway, Diomande might be a work in progress at the moment, but the teenager has the potential to become a superstar, with coach Harry Brook calling him an “explosive and well-rounded athlete” who will soon be “worth £100m plus”.

Goals scored

0.36

0.36

Assists

0.20

0.21

Shots taken

2.73

2.08

Shot-creating actions

3.57

5.23

Touches (att pen)

4.87

7.16

Pass completion (%)

72.9

81.2

Progressive passes

3.48

3.44

Progressive carries

3.79

6.66

Successful take-ons

1.78

4.01

Ball recoveries

4.46

6.01

Tackles + interceptions

1.87

2.72

Semenyo might be one of the Premier League’s most dangerous wide forwards, but the data certainly suggests that Diomande has what it takes to supersede him in the power rankings, should he move to Liverpool in 2026.

Already, he is more active and incisive across ball-carrying and -playing metrics, and in the Bundesliga this term, the two-sided winger has notched three goals and two assists from only eight starts, averaging 2.8 dribbles and winning 4.2 duels per fixture (as per Sofascore).

The Ghana international has been in red-hot form in the Premier League this season and he’s a big-game player besides, but he has gone more than two months without a goal contribution and there’s a compelling case to be made that Diomande could grow into a greater player.

Slot needs to consider the balance and fluency of his outfit as a whole, and this could be a deal to enhance that and then some, allowing the likes of Gakpo to continue to earn opportunities while adding depth and, more importantly, elite quality.

That is not to discredit Semenyo’s talent. The Cherries star is a fantastic, Prem-proven forward. It merely underlines the calibre of player Diomande may well become.

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